Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Question 1

What are characteristics of pain with CRPS?

Answer 1

• very severe
• often burning
• becomes regional
• palmar/plantar dominance
• hyperalgesia and allodynia
• extreme sensitivity to cold (in early phase)

Question 2

Other than pain, what are characteristics of CRPS?

Answer 2

• nail becomes rigid, brittle
• hair darkens, grows rapidly or later falls out
• distal extremities increase or decrease in temp
• 20% of cases, affected area initially painful, warm, ….

Question 3

What are common neurological symptoms with CRPS?

Answer 3

• spasms
• increased reflexes
• weakness
• first autonomic system involved the central encoded

Question 4

What are some of the movement disorders for CRPS?

Answer 4

• trouble initiating movement
• weakness, tremor
• dystonia in 4th and 5th finger causing flexion contracture
• evolves into wrist adduction and flexion
• foot inverted with plantar flexion

Question 5

What ancillary study is for CRPS?

Answer 5

None, at least no gold standards

• this is a clinical diagnosis