Pain Management Community

Just to clarify - the presumed cause of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) (formally known as RSD -reflex sympathetic dystrophy) appears to involve the formation of a reflex arc after an inciting event. The arc is thought to follow the routes of the sympathetic nervous system. This is modulated by cortical centers (the brain). The pain sensation in response to injury may lead to increased sensitivity. Not all cases of CRPS are related to the sympathetic nervous which is why the term for the condition has changed. There is a possibility of spread - either mirror (other extremity) or a completely different location. The causes of this is not well understood. I hope that helps.

I'm very grateful that my PM doctor is familiar with CRPS and we've been working together towards a way to keep this tolerable in me. I'm so grateful he's knowlegable and understanding of my condition as well as doesnt immediately leap towards the narcotics for this condition as they hardly worked on me. But my present treatment of medication and sympathetic nerve blocks has been working wonders for me. And for the first time in years my toes are warm and pink rather than cold and blueish purple. The sensitivity to touch is a little more difficult but its being managed by medication as well as desensitivity exercises (I've moved from a soft fur toy to cotton cloth... socks are becoming tolerable to put on now)

It is a terrible condition to befall anyone and I would not wish this on my worst enemy. But with a caring PM doctor who is knowlegable in CRPS, it CAN be managed and it CAN be supported. But yes I agree more doctors and PCPs should learn more about CRPS. I was grateful my 3rd orthapedist referred me to my PM doctor when she recognized my symptoms of being ultra sensitive to anyone touching my foot and the cold toes despite being in wool shoes.

I'm very thankful and grateful for the doctors involved in my care for this condition and I hope that more people with CRPS will be looked after properly because this is something that can be treated, perhaps not cured, but at least make life bearable. I'm able to walk without a cane as a 36 year old woman for the first time in several years. I can now walk to my mailbox when I couldnt do this before.

Is this the kind of severe pain that an MS patient might experience? Also..my brother, who has the extremely severe pain, was given morephin via a pump and suffered major side effects - cramping, diahrrea, nausea - after taking the med for 1 day. It worked wonders that first day but....Is there another form of the drug that he might tolerate?

Pain from MS is actually quite common but different from CRPS. Patients with MS can suffer with a number of different pain complaints including Trigeminal neuralgia, hypersensitivity in the back, abdominal pain, and often pain from spasm. The pain is treated differently but the "neuropathic" character of the pain can be similar to that of CRPS. Thank you for your question