Over the years, we experience pain. Common pain causes include injuries, illness, medical or cosmetic surgical procedures, and childbirth, to mention a few. Most, if not all, of such pain, even at severe levels, dissipate with time and proper management. Nonetheless, you might experience pain that only gets worse, especially in your limbs. Such chronic and severe pain is referred to as complex regional pain syndrome. You can receive help at complex regional pain syndrome Eugene for symptoms including excessive sweating, pins, needles, burning and tingling sensation, extreme sensitivity, skin changes, and swelling, to mention a few.
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) severity
CRPS is ranked as one of the most painful chronic pain conditions. On McGill University Pain Scale, it is indexed at 42 out of the possible 50. This means it is higher than the pain you would experience with a finger amputation without anesthesia. It is even higher than non-terminal cancer. While CRPS presents similar signs and symptoms, it could be due to different causes. It is categorized into two as follows.
- Type 1: This is CRPS that occurs after an injury or illness that did not directly cause damage to the nerves in the affected limb. It is also referred to as reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome. On average, over 80% of people struggling with CRPS suffer from type 1.
- Type 2: In the recent past, the type was referred to as causalgia. This is CRPS caused by a distinct nerve injury.
Most CRPS cases occur after experiencing significant trauma to your limb(S). This could be due to a fracture, injury, amputation, or surgery. Other traumas, including heart attacks, battling an infection, or even minor cases such as a sprained ankle, could also trigger CRPS. Moreover, emotional disturbance could be a precipitating factor. While it is not well-understood, CRPS likely stems from dysfunctional central and peripheral nervous system interaction and improper inflammatory responses.
How CRPS can affect the quality of your life
If not well managed, chronic pain can turn your life inside out. It can affect how you manage activities of daily living. For instance, if you are experiencing pain in your leg, getting around can be problematic. If it affects your hand, simple tasks like dressing, preparing a meal, or lifting a light object can feel or become insurmountable.
Chronic pain could also get you trapped in a pain-stress cycle. The pain and stress can affect how the nervous system works, sending you into constant worry. The pain causes stress, the stress worsens the pain, and the cycle goes on and on, affecting how you manage life. It gets worse as the emotional disturbance can lead to concerns such as insomnia, further keeping you in an overdrive state.
Minor concerns such as excessive sweating and skin changes can affect your confidence levels. It could make it harder to maintain your social life, but those are the least concerns as you manage CRPS. Don’t let it ruin your perfect progress, though. You can devise a practical management regimen with professional services, ranging from medication to therapies. Visit or contact Pacific Sports and Spine and find out more about CRPS and how you can relieve the symptoms.
