Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, or CRPS, formerly known as RSD or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy is a progressive disease of the Autonomic Nervous System, and more specifically, the Sympathetic Nervous System. The pain is characterized as constant, extremely intense, and out of proportion to the original injury. The pain is typically accompanied by swelling, skin changes, extreme sensitivity, and can often be debilitating. It usually affects one or more of the four limbs but can occur in any part of the body and in over 70% of the victims it spreads to additional areas RSD/CRPS is ranked as the most painful form of chronic pain that exists today by the McGill Pain Index. RSD/CRPS MAIN SYMPTOMS There are FOUR Main Symptoms/Criteria of RSD/ CRPS: 1. Constant chronic burning pain - The pain, which is usually significantly greater than the original event/injury; though the affected area may feel cold to the touch to the patient it feels as though it is literally on fire; and is ranked as the most painful form of chronic pain today by the 1. McGILL Pain Index. This symptom also includes allodynia which is an extreme sensitivity to touch, sound, temperature, and vibration. 2. Inflammation - this can affect the appearance of the skin, bruising, mottling, tiny red spots, shiny, purplish look; as well as affect the skin temperature of the affected area, cause excessive sweating, etc. 3. Spasms - in blood vessels (vasoconstriction) and muscles (sometimes referred to as rolling spasms) of the extremities. 4. Insomnia/Emotional Disturbance - includes the major changes to the limbic system such as short-term memory problems, concentration difficulties, sleep disturbances, confusion, etc. There are a great many additional symptoms that can also occur over the course of the disease. Not every patient will have all of the symptoms and the symptoms may change over time due to the stage the patient is in, the medications the patient is on, the treatments the patient is receiving, and even such things as time of day/month/season, and whether or not she/he is currently under excess stress! What does CRPS feel like? CRPS pain can be anywhere in the body where there are nerves. Most commonly in the four extremities but some people have it in other areas such as eyes, ears, back, face, etc. What does it feel like? Well, if you had it in your hand, imagine your hand was doused in gasoline, lit on fire, and then kept that way 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you knew it was never going to be put out. Now imagine it both hands, arms, legs, feet, eyes, ears; well, you get the picture. I sometimes sit there and am amazed that no one else can see the flames shooting off of my body. The second component to CRPS is what is called Allodynia. Allodynia is an extreme sensitivity to touch, sound, and/or vibration. Imagine that same hand now has the skin all burned off and is completely raw. Next, rub some salt on top of it and then rub some sandpaper on top of that! THAT is allodynia! Picture getting pretty vivid? Now, because of the allodynia, any normal touch will cause pain; your clothing, the gentle touch of a loved one, a sheet, rain, shower, razor, hairbrush, shoe, someone brushing by you in a crowded hallway, etc. In addition, sounds, especially loud or deep sounds and vibrations, will also cause pain; a school bell, thunder, loud music, crowds, singing, yelling, sirens, traffic, kids screaming, loud wind, even the sound in a typical movie theatre. This is what allodynia is all about. Imagine going through your daily life where everything that you touch, or that touches you, where most every noise around you from a passing car or plane to children playing, causes you pain, this, in addition to the enormous pain you are already experiencing from the CRPS itself. Imagine living with that pain and allodynia 24 hours a day, every day, for months, years, and longer. WHO GETS CRPS? ANYONE can get CRPS. It is estimated there are between 1.5 and 3 million Women, Men, and Children in the United States alone. 75% of victims are women. The majority of victims develop the disease in their 30s and 40s but it can hit anyone at any age. Although in recent years more and more patients in their teens and pre-teens, especially females, seem to be developing the disease. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) it has been estimated that CRPS may present itself in 2-5% of individuals with peripheral nerve injury ( See National Institutes of Health - NIH CRPS INCIDENCE or the NINDS website as well). It is important to note that it states peripheral nerve injuries. Oftentimes when estimating the number of CRPS patients in the United States people have misunderstood that quote and/or changed it to read everything from 2-5% of all nerve injuries to 5% of all injuries. This results in greatly exaggerated estimates of the number of CRPS patients. Instead of the correct estimate of between 1.5 and 3 million CRPS patients these incorrect estimates can range as high as 5 or 6 million!
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 04:46:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015