NPTE FF. Day 1 Complex Regional Pain
Syndrome (CRPS)
What is the most frequent cause of CRPS? - answer Surgery/trauma
How is CRPS diagnosed? - answer Through clinical signs and symptoms:
(1) Continuing pain that is disproportionate to the inciting event
(2) No other diagnosis explains the s/s
What is CRPS Type I caused by? - answer An initiating noxious event (like a crush/soft
tissue injury, immobilization, tight cast, surgery) and does not have a nerve lesion
What is CRPS Type II caused by? - answer An identifiable nerve lesion
What is CRPS-NOS caused by? - answer Symptoms are consistent with CRPS but a
specific injury or lesion has not been determined as the cause
What are the s/s of CRPS? - answer Pain**
Sensory abnormalities
Trophic changes
Impairments of motor function
Emotional/psychological responses
What is the presumed etiology of CRPS? - answerAn abundance of inflammatory
mediators with a lack of anti-inflammatory mediators
Sensitizes the peripheral and spinal nociceptive systems, releasing neuropeptides
Causes signs of inflammation, stimulates bone cell and fibroblast proliferation and
endothelial dysfunction (causes vascular changes)
Sensory-motor integration becomes disturbed, causing motor function loss and
distortion of body representation (causing autonomic disturbances)
What does the evolution of CRPS look like? - answerTransition of a limb from an acute
warm phase to a chronic cold phase characterized by central changes
What are common impairments of structure in CRPS? - answerDisproportionate
pain/hyperesthesia to an inciting event
Motion limitations/dysfunction (weakness tremor, dystonia)
Edema
Sweating changes
Vasomotor instability (temperature asymmetry and/or skin color changes)
Tropic changes (impaired hair/nail/skin growth/changes)
Syndrome (CRPS)
What is the most frequent cause of CRPS? - answer Surgery/trauma
How is CRPS diagnosed? - answer Through clinical signs and symptoms:
(1) Continuing pain that is disproportionate to the inciting event
(2) No other diagnosis explains the s/s
What is CRPS Type I caused by? - answer An initiating noxious event (like a crush/soft
tissue injury, immobilization, tight cast, surgery) and does not have a nerve lesion
What is CRPS Type II caused by? - answer An identifiable nerve lesion
What is CRPS-NOS caused by? - answer Symptoms are consistent with CRPS but a
specific injury or lesion has not been determined as the cause
What are the s/s of CRPS? - answer Pain**
Sensory abnormalities
Trophic changes
Impairments of motor function
Emotional/psychological responses
What is the presumed etiology of CRPS? - answerAn abundance of inflammatory
mediators with a lack of anti-inflammatory mediators
Sensitizes the peripheral and spinal nociceptive systems, releasing neuropeptides
Causes signs of inflammation, stimulates bone cell and fibroblast proliferation and
endothelial dysfunction (causes vascular changes)
Sensory-motor integration becomes disturbed, causing motor function loss and
distortion of body representation (causing autonomic disturbances)
What does the evolution of CRPS look like? - answerTransition of a limb from an acute
warm phase to a chronic cold phase characterized by central changes
What are common impairments of structure in CRPS? - answerDisproportionate
pain/hyperesthesia to an inciting event
Motion limitations/dysfunction (weakness tremor, dystonia)
Edema
Sweating changes
Vasomotor instability (temperature asymmetry and/or skin color changes)
Tropic changes (impaired hair/nail/skin growth/changes)
