Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Quiz

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Reviewed By:

Shohei Harase, MD

Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)

Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.

Hiroshi Otake, MD

Hiroshi Otake, MD (Anesthesiology)

A 20+years experienced board-certified Anesthesiologist/Critical Care Physician. | An expert in clinical implementation for digital health and machine learning with multi-national clinical experiences in Japan, US and Australia. | Graduated from Master of Science in Clinical Informatics Management at Stanford University in 2022. Served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and Vice President of Showa University Hospital, one of the largest academic medical centers in Tokyo, before Stanford. | Introduced the first tele-ICU program in Asia and had business experiences as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company to engage in developing the marketing strategy of new drugs for pharmaceutical companies and standardizing the drug inspection processes for PMDA, a Japanese drug approval agency.

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  • Complex regional pain syndrome as well as similar diseases can be checked at the same time.

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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • Thigh pain when resting

  • Pain in the upper arm

  • Sharp stabbing pain in the thigh

  • Pain above the wrist

  • The problem area has swollen

  • Fell on my hands

  • Thigh pain when sleeping

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Learn more about Complex regional pain syndrome

Content updated on Jul 24, 2023

What is complex regional pain syndrome?

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is an uncommon, long-term, and often disabling condition that usually impacts one limb (arm, leg, hand, or foot) typically after an injury, surgery, stroke, or heart attack. The main symptom is long-lasting severe pain that can be constant and, in some cases, very uncomfortable or upsetting. The pain is thought to be 'disproportionate' to the seriousness of the initial injury. The cause of CRPS is not yet fully understood.

Symptoms of complex regional pain syndrome

  • Always in pain

  • Arm pain

  • Thigh pain

  • Swelling of the affected area

  • Swelling of any body part

  • Reduced sweating

  • I experience hot flushes or feelings of overheating

  • Numbness or abnormal sensation

Questions your doctor may ask to check for complex regional pain syndrome

Your doctor may ask these questions to diagnose complex regional pain syndrome

  • Are you in pain all the time?

  • Do you have pain in the arms?

  • Do you have thigh pain?

  • Is the affected area swollen?

  • Do you have any swelling in any part of your body?

Treatment for complex regional pain syndrome

The best way to treat CRPS is to start early. This usually involves a mix of drugs and therapies. Drugs can include things like NSAIDs, corticosteroids, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. Physical therapy can also help improve movement in the affected limb. Other treatments might be nerve blocks or spinal cord stimulation. Mental health therapy is also a key part of treatment, because this condition can greatly affect a person's mental well-being.

View the symptoms of Complex regional pain syndrome

References

  • Bruehl S. Complex regional pain syndrome. BMJ. 2015 Jul 29;351:h2730. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h2730. PMID: 26224572.

    https://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h2730

  • Kessler A, Yoo M, Calisoff R. Complex regional pain syndrome: An updated comprehensive review. NeuroRehabilitation. 2020;47(3):253-264. doi: 10.3233/NRE-208001. PMID: 32986618.

    https://content.iospress.com/articles/neurorehabilitation/nre208001

  • Shim H, Rose J, Halle S, Shekane P. Complex regional pain syndrome: a narrative review for the practising clinician. Br J Anaesth. 2019 Aug;123(2):e424-e433. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2019.03.030. Epub 2019 May 2. PMID: 31056241; PMCID: PMC6676230.

    https://www.bjanaesthesia.org/article/S0007-0912(19)30235-1/fulltext

  • Neumeister MW, Romanelli MR. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Clin Plast Surg. 2020 Apr;47(2):305-310. doi: 10.1016/j.cps.2019.12.009. Epub 2020 Jan 31. PMID: 32115056.

    https://www.plasticsurgery.theclinics.com/article/S0094-1298(19)30123-3/fulltext

  • Urits I, Shen AH, Jones MR, Viswanath O, Kaye AD. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Current Concepts and Treatment Options. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2018 Feb 5;22(2):10. doi: 10.1007/s11916-018-0667-7. PMID: 29404787.

    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11916-018-0667-7

  • Harden, R. N., Oaklander, A. L., Burton, A. W., Perez, R. S., Richardson, K., Swan, M., ... & Vatine, J. J. (2013). Complex regional pain syndrome: practical diagnostic and treatment guidelines, 4th edition. Pain medicine, 14(2), 180-229.

    https://doi.org/10.1111/pme.12033

  • Maihöfner, C., Seifert, F., & Markovic, K. (2010). Complex regional pain syndromes: new pathophysiological concepts and therapies. European journal of neurology, 17(5), 649-660.

    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-1331.2009.02937.x

User testimonials

Reviewed By:

Shohei Harase, MD

Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)

Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.

Hiroshi Otake, MD

Hiroshi Otake, MD (Anesthesiology)

A 20+years experienced board-certified Anesthesiologist/Critical Care Physician. | An expert in clinical implementation for digital health and machine learning with multi-national clinical experiences in Japan, US and Australia. | Graduated from Master of Science in Clinical Informatics Management at Stanford University in 2022. Served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and Vice President of Showa University Hospital, one of the largest academic medical centers in Tokyo, before Stanford. | Introduced the first tele-ICU program in Asia and had business experiences as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company to engage in developing the marketing strategy of new drugs for pharmaceutical companies and standardizing the drug inspection processes for PMDA, a Japanese drug approval agency.

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