There are many long-term issues that can come with various injuries. For some people, living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is possible. This condition has to do with damage to, or a malfunction of, the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system.
CRPS isn’t the same for all patients. Some who have more minor versions might eventually return to normal. Others may have a long-term disability. There are two forms. However, the treatment is fairly consistent between the two.
Risk factors and symptoms
The risk of developing CRPS peaks at around 40 years old. The elderly and those under five years old are rarely diagnosed. For children under 10 years old, the chance is still pretty low. Men are less likely to suffer from this than women.
CRPS is associated with several symptoms, but the most common is severe pain that is prolonged. It usually affects only one limb, but might affect only a foot or hand instead of the entire limb. This condition also causes skin color changes, swelling in the affected area and changes in temperature. The joints near the area might be affected and muscle coordination can decrease.
More than 90% of CRPS cases are caused by an injury or trauma. People who have asthma, inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases are more likely to develop CRPS. A person might have this syndrome without any known injurybut this is fairly uncommon.
Treatments and life impacts
There are many factors that work to determine how a patient with CRPS might fare. Typically, treatments are aimed at the symptoms and underlying issues that are causing the problem. Medications aren’t available specifically for CRPS, but some alleviate symptoms to lesser or greater degrees. Patients might also go through physical therapy, have nerve blocks, undergo psychotherapy or use spinal cord stimulation to manage the condition.
Doctors can’t usually gauge how a patient will fare. Younger people typically have a more thorough healing than older ones. The person may become completely disabled. Considerable medical care is sometimes needed to address the syndrome, and this care can be costly.
A person who is diagnosed with CRPS after an incident that led to an injury might decide to seek compensation from the liable party. The goal is to attempt to recover the financial damages that are associated with the accident.