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Complex regional pain syndrome

Alternative Names:
CRPS; RSDS; Causalgia; Shoulder-hand syndrome; Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome; Sudeck's atrophy

Treatment:

Usually, the recommended treatment will include a combination of therapies. These will include:

  • Medications -- pain medicines, steroids, blood pressure medicines that work on the sympathetic nervous system, bone loss medications (such as Actonel), and antidepressants
  • Physical or occupational therapy
  • Applications of heat and cold
  • The use of a TENS (trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulator) unit
  • Biofeedback
  • Nerve blocks (injecting medicine to numb the affected nerves or pain fibers around the spinal column)
  • Surgical sympathetomy (radical surgical that involves cutting the nerves to destroy the pain, but other sensations may be destroyed also)


Expectations (prognosis):
The outlook is better with an early diagnosis. If the condition is recognized within the first stage, sometimes it may go into remission and normal movement will be possible with minimal changes. However, if it is not diagnosed quickly, deteriorating changes in the bone and muscle may develop rapidly and become irreversible.

Complications:

When the disease progresses, the complications include further deterioration of the affected limb, or the spread of the disease to another part of the body.

In addition, there are possible complications associated with some of the nerve and surgical treatments.



Calling your health care provider:
You should contact your health care provider if you develop constant, burning pain in an arm, leg, hand, or foot.

Review Date: 6/6/2002
Reviewed By: Alan Greene, MD, CMO, A.D.A.M.

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