First of all,
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is also known as
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). It is a severe, painful, and long-lasting condition that usually involves an arm or leg. What happens is nerves will misfire, sending constant pain signals to the brain. It develops in response to tissue damage from trauma, such as an accidental injury, fracture, an infection, surgery, a stroke, or wearing a plaster cast. The pain often is not limited to the area that was injured.
Anyone can get Complex Regional Pain Syndrome at any age. It is more common in people between the ages of 25 and 55. It is more frequently seen in women than in men. However, it used to be rare in children, but there has been a recent increase in the number of cases among adolescents and young adults.
People with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome have pain that can be constant, moderate to severe. Swelling of affected area may come and go. Some of the skin changes that may occur are dryness, changes in skin color, excessive sweating, increased or decreased hair growth, and changes in the nails. Most people have muscle spasms, loss of motion and use of the affected area, and skin may feel cooler or warmer than usual. Insomnia and depression are common symptoms because of the pain, the emotions, and lifestyle changes.
The condition can progress though three stages. Although, not everyone will go through every stage. Days to weeks following the injury, the limb can become dry, hot, red, and painful. The lightest touch or the slightest movement will cause excruciating pain. CRPS at this point can be mistaken for an infection, rheumatoid arthritis, or another disorder. Your physician may not be able to identify the problem. This is why people with CRPS see an average of five or more physicians before being accurately diagnosed. I saw six different physicians that included my primary physician, a vascular specialist, a general surgeon, two neurologists, and a pain specialist.
Over the next few weeks to months, the skin will become shiny, thin, and cool. The limb becomes purplish. There is significant amount of swelling. The pain will worsen. The nails become brittle and can grow faster. You may have more pain further up the limb. This is a result of muscle stiffness and soreness. Some people may experience other movement problems like I do, weakness and spasms. My skin becomes tight and dry often. A few weeks ago, my foot got so stiff I was unable to move it and my leg. Some people may have less pain at this point, but my pain got worse. It is extremely difficult to treat CRPS at this stage or point. There is NO cure for this horrible condition.
CRPS is diagnosed when all six of these symptoms are present: burning, pain, hypersensitivity, swelling, temperature changes, and sweating. Your physician should also ask you questions about your medical history and examine you thoroughly. There is NO single test for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. However, some physicians will use other specialized tests to help diagnose this condition. Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Studies are two tests that evaluate the nerve function and your physician may order it to look for any nerve damage or another cause of your symptoms. Another test called a Diagnostic Sympathetic Block may be performed. This is an injection in the neck or lower back that reduces pain in some, but not all people. If the block reduces or eliminates pain, this can also help to confirm the diagnosis.
If you think you may have this condition, talk to your physician as soon as possible. The sooner you are diagnosed the better your chances are. When you are in the last stage of this condition, it is difficult to treat. This is the case with me. Hopefully in the near future, there will better ways to diagnose someone with CRPS.
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