The disorder known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) can be extremely debilitating and intensely painful. It usually occurs after a minor injury to the hand or foot, but it has also occurred following more significant traumas like surgery including the knees and shoulders.
We don’t know why this happens exactly; however, we do know that people with CRPS will experience intense distress not only because the chronic condition affects them physically – but emotionally too.
How Common Is CRPS?
CRPS can affect anyone, and it happens more often than you might think. If someone has had CRPS before they are most likely to get another episode with an injury in their arm or leg (or another part of the body). There could also be a genetic link between families who suffer from this condition; several members may develop chronic pain conditions like these.
Because of our area of expertise, we commonly see complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in our clinic. There’s a highest in incidence or prevalence with distal radius fractures and that can vary from anywhere up to about 35% of those situations and result in complex regional pain syndrome.
Treatment For CRPS
The evidence is limited but there are some promising studies that show early treatment might help improve symptoms of CRPS. Often, a combination therapy tailored for your specific case will be necessary to provide relief from this painful condition.
Treatment options range from medications like pain relievers or nerve-blocking drugs all the way up to therapies such as physical rehabilitation exercises which can also involve heating devices on certain occasions depending upon what’s recommended by a specialist who knows how to best treat the patient’s individual condition.
If you are experiencing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and need advice from a qualified therapist, please call us at Melbourne Hand Therapy today on (03) 9899 8490 or leave an enquiry and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
