Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Treatment

What Is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

Complex regional pain syndrome is a condition that causes pain, changes in skin color and texture, and other symptoms in a particular part of the body, often the extremities. Pain from CRPS is often experienced in the arm, leg, hand, or foot.

There is currently no known cause for complex regional pain syndrome. However, it is believed that CRPS originates from a dysfunction in your central or peripheral nervous systems. Your central nervous system is your brain and spinal cord, while your peripheral nervous system relays the information from your brain and spinal cord to your organs, arms, legs, fingers, and toes.

It is believed that the sensitivity to the pain you feel in your extremities can result from the overreaction of the pain signals that your body can't turn off. CRPS can go away on its own and potentially last a short period. However, CRPS symptoms can be long-term (over six months), and symptoms can reoccur.

It's estimated that about 10% to 30% of people who initially experience CPRS experience a recurrence. The cause for the recurrence is unknown. Therefore, seeking early, effective pain management treatment options is essential to improve your CRPS symptoms.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Causes

Although the exact cause of CRPS is unknown, researchers think CRPS results from a dysfunction in your central or peripheral nervous systems. Furthermore, 90% of CRPS cases result from nerve trauma or injury to the affected limb before CRPS symptoms develop.

While this doesn't account for the cause of the 10% of cases of people who seemingly develop CRPS without exact reason, this does suggest that severe physical trauma or injury can play a role in developing CRPS.

Injuries that are linked to CRPS are:

CRPS Risk Factors

There are specific risk factors that may increase your chance of developing CRPS. These risks include:

Other demographic trends in CRPS cases include the condition being more common in adults, typically about 40 years of age, than children. Complex regional pain syndrome also affects more females than men.

Prevention & Risks to Avoid

Although the root cause of CRPS remains largely unknown, several preventative measures are recommended to lower your risk of CRPS. For instance, lifestyle factors like smoking and poor management of health conditions such as diabetes can prevent your nerves from healing efficiently.

Meanwhile, taking Vitamin C before surgery or after a wrist fracture is believed to prevent CRPS. Also, early mobilization after a stroke like getting out of bed and walking around can lower your risk of developing CRPS.

Complex regional pain syndrome symptoms

It's essential to seek treatment as soon as possible to improve your CRPS symptoms. Some of the common symptoms of CRPS include:

Although symptoms vary individually, key symptoms like pain, swelling, and temperature sensitivity are common CRPS symptoms that first appear.

As the condition develops, symptoms like the affected area appearing pale and cold to the touch, noticeable skin or nail changes, and muscle spasms are all later symptoms that can occur if left untreated. Unfortunately, once these later symptoms develop, they are typically irreversible. Therefore, early treatment is crucial.

It is also important to note that CRPS can be acute, meaning short-term, or chronic when symptoms last over six months. No matter if your symptoms disappear, seeing your healthcare provider to help improve your symptoms early on is essential.

Complex regional pain syndrome stages

CRPS stages and symptoms, if left untreated, can develop into worsening symptoms that can leave irreversible damage to your body. That's why seeking treatment as early as possible is critical to living a happy, healthy life.

Since CRPS is rare, it can be difficult to spot all the signs and symptoms of the condition accurately. Below are the stages of CRPS symptom development to be aware of as the condition progresses:

CRPS Stage 1 (1-3 Months After the Initial Onset of CRPS)

CRPS Stage 2 (3-6 Months After the Onset of CRPS)

CRPS Stage 3 (6 months After the Onset of CRPS)

Often, after the six-month mark of suffering from CRPS symptoms, changes are permanent.

Complications of CRPS

If complex regional pain syndrome is left undiagnosed and untreated, the symptoms inevitably worsen and can progress to life-altering symptoms like:

Spread of Condition: CRPS symptoms can spread from a localized area of the body to become more widespread if left untreated.

Tissue Wasting (Atrophy): Atrophy is the deterioration of the skin, bones, and muscles due to a lack of movement in the affected area. This lack of movement is because of the pain or stiffness felt when you attempt to move that area of the body.

Muscle Tightening (contracture): Contracture is the tightening of the muscles such that the affected area becomes contracted into a fixed position, resulting in a lack of normal movement.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Diagnosis

CRPS is rare; therefore, this condition is often misdiagnosed. No clear identifier can be done to diagnose CRPS. At Pain and Spine Specialists, we understand the complexities of diagnosing Complex regional pain syndrome. Our diagnostic approach is comprehensive, patient-centered, and rooted in the latest medical advancements to ensure accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning.

The Steps to Our CRPS Diagnostic Criteria Are:

Each step in our diagnostic process is crucial in crafting an individualized and effective treatment plan for CRPS. 

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Treatment

There is no cure for CRPS. Yet, a wide variety of treatment options can help relieve your CRPS symptoms, slow down the progression of the disease, and ultimately help the individual manage their pain better to get back to leading a productive, healthy life. Noninvasive treatment options are often the first course of action to reduce CRPS symptoms:

Minimally Invasive complex regional pain syndrome medical procedures

For advanced care, we utilize state-of-the-art interventional procedures. These procedures include:

• Spinal Cord Stimulation: Spinal cord stimulation involves the implantation of a small device that sends electrical impulses to the spinal cord, interrupting pain signals before they reach the brain. This minimally invasive procedure has shown promising results for many CRPS patients who have not found relief through other treatments. You can find more details in our last blog about SCS treatment for CRPS.
• Intrathecal Pump: An intrathecal pump is a device that delivers pain-relief medication directly to the spinal fluid. This method can provide targeted relief and may be considered for patients who do not respond well to oral medications or other treatments.
• Radiofrequency Ablation: Radiofrequency ablation involves using heat generated by radio waves to disrupt pain signals in specific nerves. While it is primarily used for other conditions like chronic back pain, it may be considered for CRPS patients if deemed appropriate by a complex regional pain syndrome specialist.
• Peripheral Nerve Stimulation: Similar to spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation uses electrical impulses to block pain signals from specific nerves. This treatment can be an option for CRPS patients who have localized pain and have not found relief through other methods.

Complex regional pain syndrome nerve block Injections

Nerve blocks are injections of local anesthetics or other medications that block pain signals from specific nerves. These treatments can provide temporary relief from CRPS symptoms and may be combined with other therapies for optimal results.

• Trigger Point Injections: Trigger point injections involve injecting a local anesthetic or corticosteroid into tight muscle knots that contribute to pain. While these injections are typically used for muscle pain, they may provide relief for some CRPS patients with muscle-related symptoms.
• Stellate Ganglion Block: This involves injecting a local anesthetic near the stellate ganglion, a cluster of nerves in the neck. It can disrupt pain signals from reaching the brain, providing relief from CRPS symptoms.
• Epidural Steroid Injection: This procedure involves injecting a steroid into the epidural space of the spinal cord. The steroid can reduce inflammation and swelling, alleviating nerve pain.
• Lumbar Sympathetic Block: This procedure involves injecting medication around the sympathetic nerves in the lower back. This can help alleviate pain in the lower extremities related to CRPS.

Conventionial Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Alongside our injections and advanced procedures, we incorporate conventional therapies into our care plans.

• Medication Management: Complex regional pain syndrome medication can help relieve CRPS symptoms. This treatment approach can include both prescription drugs and non-prescription pain medication. Examples of common medications include steroids to reduce inflammation, drugs to reduce the progression of bone loss, and antidepressants.
• Referrals to Physical Therapy: Complex regional pain syndrome physical therapy in learning guided exercises to improve your affected area's mobility and flexibility is another common treatment option.

Complex regional pain syndrome alternative treatments

In addition to conventional medical therapies, some patients may benefit from alternative treatments for crps such as Acupuncture. We partner with Shakthi Health and Wellness Center to give patients more alternative options for CRPS treatment:

• Counseling or Talk Therapy: Complex regional pain syndrome therapy can help with depression and anxiety accompanying those suffering from CRPS.
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): TMS is a noninvasive procedure uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, which can help alleviate pain symptoms in CRPS patients.
• Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, which is believed to help relieve pain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Approach to Treating CRPS

At Pain and Spine Specialists, we believe in a comprehensive approach to managing your pain. We are proud to be a team of experienced professionals that is committed to providing you with the highest level of care, tailored specifically to your unique needs.

Our approach to treatment is grounded in a deep understanding of the complex nature of pain and its many sources. We recognize that each patient's experience with pain is unique, and our goal is to develop a personalized treatment strategy that addresses your specific needs and improves your quality of life.

We are skilled in a range of treatment modalities, from traditional medical treatments to advanced interventional procedures. We also recognize the role of alternative therapies in complex regional pain syndrome management and collaborate with our partners at Shakthi Health and Wellness Center.

Whether you're suffering from acute or chronic pain, our team is dedicated to helping you get back to living life with less pain and more joy. If you believe you may be suffering from CRPS, please contact us today for a comprehensive evaluation.