What Is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

If you or a loved one was recently diagnosed with a condition called complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), you may be confused about what this medical term means, what it consists of, and how it might affect you going forward. However, since this condition is not common, there are a lot of unknowns, but one thing that all individuals who receive this diagnosis seem to share is the excruciating and recurring pain that they frequently experience.

What is CRPS?

According to Mayo Clinic, CRPS “is a form of chronic pain that usually affects an arm or a leg.” Most people who are diagnosed with this condition suffer an injury to one of their limbs from a car accident, bicycle accident, truck accident, slip and fall, or motorcycle accident. They typically begin the healing process, but their pain never goes away. Instead, it only becomes worse, making their daily routine and life difficult, stressful, and frustrating.

The symptoms of CRPS

Since CRPS can resemble other medical conditions, it can be challenging to know whether you have this condition or something else. Therefore, if you have any indication that you may be experiencing symptoms similar to CRPS after an injury, you should inform your doctor. Some of the most common symptoms of CRPS include:

• Persistent pain in the affected limb
• Burning or throbbing sensations
• Swelling and sensitivity
• Changes in skin temperature, color, and texture
• Muscle or joint stiffness
• Spasms or tremors
• Muscle weakness
• Inability to move affected limb
• Changes in hair or nail growth

These symptoms can evolve. For example, if you do not get medical treatment, you may notice that the pain in your right hand has now moved to your left. In addition, after some time, your affected limb will likely become cold, experience muscle tightening, and undergo color and texture changes. When this happens, it is usually permanent, meaning that your affected limb will likely never be the same again.

How is CRPS diagnosed and treated?

The doctor will typically perform a physical examination to determine whether you have CRPS. They will look at the affected limb to see if there are changes in the skin, appearance, or temperature. They will also ask you about your pain in the specific area and review your medical history. This is an important step because other conditions could result in changes in a limb and cause significant pain.

Each individual who is diagnosed with CRPS may have different levels of severity, which means that your condition may be very different from the next person’s. Therefore, the goal of seeking treatment is to alleviate your pain, swelling, tremors, weakness, and any other symptoms from the condition. The sooner that you can start treatment, the better chance that you will have of regaining function in the affected limb and living a normal life again. However, if you do not receive treatment quickly enough, your limb will experience permanent and irreversible effects. The following are some of the treatment options recommended for CRPS:

• Physical therapy: which improves mobility and strength.
• Occupational therapy: Helps with daily tasks and independence.
• Medications: Manage pain, inflammation, and other symptoms.
• Counseling or psychological therapy: Provides coping strategies for managing chronic pain.
• Lifestyle adjustments: Promote overall well-being and pain management techniques.
• Pain management therapies

What is the prognosis of CRPS?

Even though CRPS can potentially improve, it must be caught in the very early stages for this to happen. Unfortunately, most people who have been involved in an accident and suffered injuries do not realize that they have CRPS because they may assume that their pain and limb changes are a normal part of their recovery. Therefore, when an individual seeks treatment for their CRPS, it may be a prolonged case that has become serious. This means that while some accident victims are lucky enough to get immediate treatment for their CRPS and go on to live health and quality lives, others may feel intense and recurring pain for the rest of their lives. Depending on how severe your condition is, you may also experience muscle contractions, atrophy, muscle weakness, loss of function, and permanent disfigurement.

If you believe you have CRPS because of another person’s negligence, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim. The Mississippi personal injury attorneys at Merkel & Cocke, P.A. can look over the details of your case and help you determine whether someone else’s actions or lack thereof caused your condition. We also have connections to some of the best experts in the legal field who can help us calculate the value of your claim and how much compensation you may be entitled to. Please call our office or complete our contact form to schedule your initial meeting with one of our attorneys and learn how we will begin fighting for you today. Our team is available to assist you in various locations across Mississippi, including Jackson, Clarksdale, Oxford, and Greenville.