Have you ever heard of CRPS? CRPS stands for complex regional pain syndrome. According to NIH, CRPS is a broad term describing excess and prolonged pain and inflammation that follows an injury to an arm or leg. Its symptoms can be divided into three stages. 

In the first stage, pain and swelling appear in the area close to the damaged area. Also, the skin warms up and sweat a lot. In addition, sensory hypersensitivity and muscle spasms may occur, and these symptoms last for about three months. If the degree of the disease is not severe, natural healing is also possible. 

In the second stage, the burning pain intensifies, and the range of swelling expands. The thickness of the joint increases, and the joint movement is limited. The skin becomes cold and hard, and the color turns purple. It also causes osteoporosis, and your nails break and crack. 

Source-Louisiana Pain Care

In the last three stages, the pain becomes so severe that the narcotic painkillers won’t work. Pain can spread to a wide range of parts of the body. Joint movement is limited, resulting in stiffness and severe muscle atrophy. Also, hair increases and then decreases as the disease progresses. Most individuals do not have all of these symptoms, and the number of symptoms usually decreases during recovery. 

Most of the causes of CRPS occur without reason after suffering trauma. The size of the trauma is irrelevant, and there are cases that occur after surgery. It is presumed to have been caused by the constant transmission of pain signals to the brain due to problems with the central and autonomic nervous systems. CRPS has no definite treatment method or developed drug, but the first-line treatment uses drugs such as rehabilitation and physical therapy, psychotherapy, acetaminophen, alendronate, corticosteroids, and opioids or uses various stimuli.

Source :

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/complex-regional-pain-syndrome , hidoc,co.kr

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