OT 422. Complex Regional Pain
Syndrome
what is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)? - answer chronic progressive disease
characterized by severe pain, swelling, and changes in the skin (color)
often affects an arm or a leg and may spread to another part of the body
treatment is often unsatisfactory BUT early multimodal therapy can cause dramatic
improvement or remission of CRPS in some patients
what is CRPS also known as? - answer reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)
what is CRPS characterized by? - answer characterized by pain, vasomotor, and
sudomotor changes in the involved limb(s)
what do theories propose in regard to the etiology of CRPS? – answer CNS pathology
with neurogenic inflammation
shrinkage of cortical representation of limb and disrupted body schema
can be spontaneous or post-traumatic in nature
no diagnostic testing exists other than clinical examination (diagnosis of exclusion)
early diagnosis and treatment are key to successful treatment (therapists are often 1st
to see symptoms!)
what is type 1 CRPS? - answeraka sympathetic dystrophy, which develops without
known nerve damage
occurs after trauma
pain greater than expected for level of injury (not a particular nerve)
edema, skin color changes, sudomotor changes in painful area
what is type 2 CRPS? - answeraka causalgia, which is the result of specific nerve
damage
occurs after a nerve injury
Syndrome
what is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)? - answer chronic progressive disease
characterized by severe pain, swelling, and changes in the skin (color)
often affects an arm or a leg and may spread to another part of the body
treatment is often unsatisfactory BUT early multimodal therapy can cause dramatic
improvement or remission of CRPS in some patients
what is CRPS also known as? - answer reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)
what is CRPS characterized by? - answer characterized by pain, vasomotor, and
sudomotor changes in the involved limb(s)
what do theories propose in regard to the etiology of CRPS? – answer CNS pathology
with neurogenic inflammation
shrinkage of cortical representation of limb and disrupted body schema
can be spontaneous or post-traumatic in nature
no diagnostic testing exists other than clinical examination (diagnosis of exclusion)
early diagnosis and treatment are key to successful treatment (therapists are often 1st
to see symptoms!)
what is type 1 CRPS? - answeraka sympathetic dystrophy, which develops without
known nerve damage
occurs after trauma
pain greater than expected for level of injury (not a particular nerve)
edema, skin color changes, sudomotor changes in painful area
what is type 2 CRPS? - answeraka causalgia, which is the result of specific nerve
damage
occurs after a nerve injury
