Definition and Symptoms
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), previously known as algodystrophy, is a chronic condition characterized by excruciating pain that is mostly felt in the limbs and is divided into two types: CRPS I and CRPS II.
To this day, the causes of complex regional pain syndrome have not been fully elucidated. It is thought that, in a number of cases, the condition is related to nerve damage or dysfunction in the central or peripheral nervous system. Damage may result after serious injury, heart attack, stroke, or surgery—conditions that can harm and inflame nerve tissue. Such factors are believed to cause the sensation of intense pain, which is disproportionate to what is expected for such specific medical problems.
Injuries associated with complex regional pain syndrome may include:
Patients with this syndrome have access to a wide variety of treatment options that reduce pain.
So far, there are some medications that can help reduce some of the symptoms of the syndrome, but not all of them. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, help reduce inflammation and mild to moderate pain. Oral corticosteroids are also used to treat inflammation and relieve pain. Muscle relaxants are used for muscle stiffness.
Early-onset cases of the syndrome can benefit from physiotherapy, especially when it comes to problems with mobility, blood flow, muscular strength, muscle tone, and joint stiffness. This intervention may also lessen the likelihood that these patients’ syndromes will get worse.
Qutenza patching is an effective and widely used non-invasive approach in patients who do not respond to medication or in patients who want more immediate pain relief.
For individuals with complex regional pain syndrome who do not respond to conservative therapies, spinal cord stimulation is a suggested course of action. It involves the surgical implantation of a tiny device under the patient’s skin, near the spine, which modifies pain signals before they reach the brain, resulting in pain alleviation.
Biofeedback and acupuncture are two alternative therapies that can help treat Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.