Complex Regional Pain Syndrome | Causes, Pathophysiology, Signs & Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CPRS) | Causes, Pathophysiology, Signs & Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a neuropathic pain condition involving long-lasting pain that is out-of-proportion to the underlying cause. A variety of causes may lead to this condition, including injuries, fractures and surgeries. There are two types: Type 1 and Type 2. In this lesson, we discuss the signs and symptoms, how it’s diagnosed with the Budapest criteria, and how it’s treated.

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JJ

**MEDICAL LEGAL DISCLAIMER**: JJ Medicine does not provide medical advice, and the information available on this channel does not offer a diagnosis or advice regarding treatment. Information presented in these lessons is for educational purposes ONLY, and information presented here is not to be used as an alternative to a healthcare professional’s diagnosis and treatment of any person/animal. Only a physician or other licensed healthcare professional are able to determine the requirement for medical assistance to be given to a patient. Please seek the advice of your physician or other licensed healthcare provider if you have any questions regarding a medical condition.

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[jennaleigh]

Obviously most of your commenters know nothing about CRPS. They should be thanking God every second of every day that they don't have it!! Your video is very much appreciated. I have had CRPS going on 6 years and it has spread to my other arm and my leg. It's absolutely debilitating it's stolen my life. So for anybody who thinks it's Something to joke about, let me just tell you it is not! Praying for a cure. 🙏💚

[BriBorgersen]

Since I started working in the ICU as an RN, I’ve had 2 patients with extreme pain and I’ve concluded that it must be CRPS although none of the providers ever called it that. We tried every pain med we could for one of my patients and nothing worked. I hated seeing her in so much pain with every touch.

[donnamuller]

How about taking NSAIDS while I saw your leg off? No one would think that appropriate, yet I've been living a hell on Earth with CRPS in a foot, shoulder, and right hand/wrist since 2007. I was able to care for my home and travel before the opiate pendulum swung too far the other way. I wasn't even allowed to taper; me, a 63 yo Grandma went through withdrawal alone and now I'm bedridden from the pain. I am in too much pain to get to physical therapy. My husband brings me dinner at the end of the day. I really have tried it all and I know what works for me. I tried injections and became paralyzed, actually in a wheelchair, for a month. Yet every pain center I speak with wants to use injections.
These doctors wouldn't be able to stand CRPS for an hour. ~at the end of my rope in PA

[useru]

Have many years working and seeing these types of patients. Zero. None. Not one physician had prescribed these patients drugs proven to help such as “Bisphosphonates.” Italy had medical tourism and most of the patients are from the U.S. all patients none of their physicians have agreed to prescribe them bisphosphonates. Medications proven to help, and they do not do right by these patients. This disease is in the very large majority terminal or lifelong. Never improves and most of the time grows worse or SPREADS to other body parts. That sentence that states may last a year or longer may need to be rephrased a bit.

[debbvaughn]

A year a more. Try 23 years and it’s moving to many parts of my body. I also had very thick black hair growing on my hand where it first began. Also try speaking in lame men terms. Most don’t understand what your saying. You talk to fast

[msteaguer]

I was diagnosed in 2004. When I came across a group of then RSD, I asked what it looks like in Black skin, that was not known to them. In 2009, I had a full body flare up, I needed assistance to walk and several other things that happened. I'd like to hear from those persons of color who have CRPS.

[lisamoore]

I live in constant CRPS from a thalamic stroke 2022. Pain, like I'm being tortured being burned alive, electrocuted, and my left hand tingles, burns, and numbness like my fingers flat on a sidewalk on a hot burning summer day, used like a cheese grater. Out of nowhere my head gets hot and sweat comes pouring down my head. I spend most days trying to escape the torture by tucking myself in my head. On so much medicine. My left leg doesn't hold me and I don't feel my trunk area. Try and use my hand but swelling and pain are always there. No noise, no bright lights, conversation is a joke because all I want is to be invisible and maybe then I have escaped the torture pain. I'm not a candidate for surgery, implant, meds yes. I pray for anyone that they never experience this pain. The pain controls you. Great video.

[janicebray]

I feel that I don't belong any where... my pain is not explainable... it comes and goes... its intolerable... I scream!. Even when it comes in the night. I can't control it!.

[soulsspiral]

i was genuinely just diagnosed with crps yesterday, i know hardly anything about it but i know how i feel. it feels like all of my bones in affect areas have a steel bar running through them, splitting them apart. i’m feel like my muscles are on fire. most days i can’t walk or use my hands at all. i’m so happy to have an answer after going to tens of doctors but i’m so terrified at the same time. i’m just a kid man, this is terrifying, i’m so scared.

[Tonyal]

I've had CRPS/RSD for nearly 7 years and every alternative treatment and there have been so many but every alternative treatment or medication including physical therapy, surgery, hypnosis, 27 spinal injections, etc...either failed to work and some actually worsened the CRPS! I've been reduced to living in a nursing home now for a year and a half and I'm only 65 yrs old. Heavy doses of opioids is the only thing that has proven to help me any at all. The only way I can get enough opioid medication is by staying in a nursing facility. I pray for all of us that battles this hideous disease. I am not suicidal however I pray for God to take me home every day.

[HighTher]

I'm currently working with pain management and the docs are starting to leaning toward crps caused by breaking my back and getting a spinal cord injury. My legs are always in pain and my right arm is extra sweaty/super painful to open air/touch is extremely painful. No fun. Don't break your back 0/10 would not recommend.

[xstang]

How do I get my family to understand they think CRPS is a joke is not even trying to take a shower is horrible on me how do I get a doctor to understand it when it's so idiopathic

[TruthNoDrama]

Breaks my heart to know how many suffer CRPS. I'm disabled with multiple physical conditions. Of course on my best days I always try to do things as much as possible. But those who don't understand any of our various disabilities assume if you can do some things sometimes that your fine. What they also don't understand is after I push myself when I want to try my best, that it knocks me down suffering for days into over a week in worse condition. Would be nice if I'm high school and publicly awareness could be taught so there could be better understanding. Even some family members are irritated by it n can be so mean.

[debramoss]

I find if a flare-up beginning, taking anti-histamine makes a difference. I was taking it for allergic rhinitis, believed the CRPS was coming to an end, it was only when it came back with a vengeance after Summer that I made the connection. It reduces inflammatory reaction, makes sense, now.
I have had extremely painful experiences, surgery above a spinal block to divide adhesions and accidental perforation of the diaphragm, for example, but I cannot put into words the level of pain CRPS reaches.

[brianrowe]

My doctor never told me it would mess my anxiety and PTSD up not good I blew a appt due this dam

[TheNeonNinja]

16 years of it 24/7/365. Male aged 24 when I got it from a botched cardiac cath surgery that punctured my femoral art.&nerve with congestive heart failure. Complete Right leg pain on the FRONT of my leg, but not the back of it. A sheet on the bed is too much pain on my skin...showering is a NIGHTMARE that takes a lot of willpower to get through, and a rainy day is a crying day. I had broken 36 bones being an athlete before this...I'd trade all that pain at once to remove the horror of these years; and now? No doctor will prescribe the meds I've been on with no increase for over the past decade, I'm going through forced withdrawal right now and my baseline pain has increased from a 4 to an 8 as my baseline.

[beckihancock]

You are completely ignoring the complex part of this. I don't feel pain so according to this video I wouldn't have CRPS - yet I do. You sweat everywhere. You can be both hot and cold. Your color is only when active and your heat is also when active. The swelling goes up and down and loss of function isn't just because you stop using it. We aren't meant to swell daily and it also restricts blood circulation. And there is no known cure. Not to mention swelling in the brain

[anitahardesty]

This used to be called RSD "reflex sympathetic dystrophy". I had this in my 20's. Back then it wasn't understood or recognized by the medical community. I found 1 doctor in Seattle Washington who knew what was wrong. My right foot and ankle was ice cold, would turn black, blue, red and purple. The burning pain was so bad. The doctor did a sympathetic block at my nervous system to see if it stopped the pain in foot and ankle. It did, which meant the surgery would be successful. I had a partial sympathectomy done. My foot wasn't getting any blood. I can't find any information on the surgery I had done. Any doctor I tell has never heard of the surgery. I am now 59 years old. It was almost 30 years ago I had the surgery. The doctor didn't operate on my foot. He went in through my stomach, moved my bowel over, snipped the nerves at my nervous system that regulate the blood flow to the foot. I had to go to physical therapy for over a year to be able to walk again. My foot is always warm and dosent sweat. I now have insertional achilles tendinopathy in the same foot that wont get better. I'm on my second round of physical therapy. 2 days ago my ankle has swelled up and is almost double the size of my other ankle. The pain is very bad. I am in fear I have crps again. They said the nerves can reattach and i can get it again in the same ankle. 😞

[afickinger]

In my case, it was spontaneous. I had it 3 times!
After many different doctors and anti-inflammatories that didn´t work, I was very lucky to find one doctor who knew what was happening and prescribed me the right treatment. I´m her pacient untill this day and she is amazing.

[Penny-]

Diagnosed in 2001. Had crps1 for over half my life. This was the best description I have ever seen. Opioids dull the senses and help that way but don’t actually take the pain away. Spinal Cord Stimulator takes around 30% of it away, so it least I don’t want to kill myself everyday now. But not enough to stop the opioids. Marijuana work well but the smoking was killing me so I stopped 6 years ago. My insurance company won’t pay for CBD oil and at $300 per month it’s not an option. Funny thing though, they will pay that much for the opioids. I am lucky to have the support of my family and a husband who can make be laugh. Laughing helps when in between flares.