Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition. The key symptom of CRPS is continuous, intense pain out of proportion to the severity of the injury, which gets worse rather than better over time. CRPS most often affects one of the arms, legs, hands, or feet. Often the pain spreads to include the entire arm or leg. Typical features include dramatic changes in the color and temperature of the skin over the affected limb or body part, accompanied by intense burning pain, skin sensitivity, sweating, and swelling. Doctors aren’t sure what causes CRPS. In some cases the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in sustaining the pain. Another theory is that CRPS is caused by a triggering of the immune response, which leads to the characteristic inflammatory symptoms of redness, warmth, and swelling in the affected area.
Because there is no cure for CRPS, treatment is aimed at relieving painful symptoms. Doctors may prescribe topical analgesics, antidepressants, corticosteroids, and opioids to relieve pain. However, no single drug or combination of drugs has produced consistent long-lasting improvement in symptoms. Other treatments may include physical therapy, sympathetic nerve block, spinal cord stimulation, and intrathecal drug pumps
to deliver opioids and local anesthetic agents via the spinal cord.
The prognosis for CRPS varies from person to person. Spontaneous remission from symptoms occurs in certain individuals. Others can have unremitting pain and crippling, irreversible changes in spite of treatment.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and other institutes of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) conduct research relating to CRPS in laboratories at the NIH and also support additional research through grants to
major medical institutions across the country. NINDS-supported scientists are studying new approaches to treat CRPS and intervene more aggressively after traumatic injury
to lower the chances of developing the disorder.
American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) P.O. Box 850 Rocklin, CA 95677-0850 ACPA@theacpa.org http://www.theacpa.org Tel: 916-632-0922 800-533-3231 Fax: 916-652-8190 |
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association
(RSDSA) P.O. Box 502 99 Cherry Street Milford, CT 06460 info@rsds.org http://www.rsds.org Tel: 203-877-3790 877-662-7737 Fax: 203-882-8362 |
American RSDHope Organization P.O. Box 875 Harrison, ME 04040-0875 rsdhope@roadrunner.com http://www.rsdhope.org Tel: 207-583-4589 |
National Headache Foundation 820 N. Orleans Suite 411 Chicago, IL 60610-3132 info@headaches.org http://www.headaches.org Tel: 312-274-2650 888-NHF-5552 (643-5552) Fax: 312-640-9049 |
International Research Foundation for RSD/CRPS 1910 East Busch Boulevard Tampa, FL 33612 info@rsdfoundation.org http://www.rsdfoundation.org/ Tel: 813-907-2312 Fax: 813-830-7446 |
Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient's medical history.
All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated.
Last updated September 19, 2012