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Treating Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Feb 10, 2016
We have briefly mentioned CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) in previous articles, but we’ve never talked about the condition in depth. In this article, we are going to discuss CRPS – what causes it and how you can take steps to treat...

We have briefly mentioned CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) in previous articles, but we’ve never talked about the condition in depth. In this article, we are going to discuss CRPS – what causes it and how you can take steps to treat the condition successfully.

What is CRPS?

CRPS stands for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. It is a chronic pain condition that is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. The specific causes of CRPS are not well understood. The condition may develop after an injury, or nerve damage.

Symptoms of CRPS can present with any of the following symptoms:

  • Pain throughout the body or localized in the back, hands, feet, arms, or legs.
  • Recurrent headaches
  • Redness, swelling, or stiffness in the area
  • Feelings of depression
  • Tingling or burning sensations on the skin

These symptoms can overlap with various other conditions – making CRPS difficult to treat. To confirm a diagnosis, your doctor will likely order various tests to narrow down an exact CRPS diagnosis.

Treating CRPS

There is no known cure for CRPS – so treatment is focused on reducing symptoms. Once a diagnosis of CRPS has been reached, your physician will begin to formulate a treatment plan. Treatments for CRPS are various and depend on the specific symptoms the patient experiences. Treatments typically include some combination of pain medications, physical therapy, and pain management injections. We also offer ketamine therapy for pain relief from CRPS.

If you are a CRPS sufferer and you feel like you have no options left, don’t give up! There are always pain relief strategies that can still be explored. Make an appointment with a skilled pain management doctor today to talk about your personalized pain relief plan. Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN has been treating patients with chronic pain conditions like CRPS for over twenty years. Give our office a call today to set up your appointment.