Symptoms of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome usually occur in your arm, leg, hand, or foot and can include:

• Atrophy
• Burning sensation
• Changing hair and nail growth
• Changing skin color
• Changing skin texture
• Changing temperature
• Increased sensitivity (touch or cold)
• Joint stiffness
• Muscle spasms
• Persistent and excessive pain
• Redness
• Swelling
• Tremors
• Weakness

*Signs and symptoms may persist for months to years

While there is no single test to diagnose CRPS, a combination of the procedures below are used to provide an accurate diagnosis:

• Bone scan: This involves injecting a radioactive substance into a vein allowing the bones to be seen with a camera.Save
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): The images might detect tissue changes.
• Medical history
• Physical exam
• Sympathetic nervous system tests: These are used to determine if there are disturbances in the sympathetic nervous system.
• X-rays: Help discover mineral loss in bones
• Tests to measure the amount of sweat on matching limbs, looking for different results that might indicate presence of CRPS

Common forms include:

Type 1 Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS 1) – This occurs after an illness or injury that does not leave obvious nerve damage in the affected limb. Nearly 90% of people with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome have this type.

Type 2 Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS 2) –This occurs after an illness or injury that does leave obvious nerve damage in the affected limb. Only 10% of people with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome have this type.

CRPS – NOS (Not Otherwise Specified)

Subgroups of CRPS include:

• Warm/Hot/Red CRPS
• Intermediate CRPS
• Cold/Blue CRPS

Common causes for CRPS can include:

• Fractures
• Limb immobilization (such as being in a cast)
• Minor medical procedures such as needle stick.
• Sprains
• Strains
• Soft tissue injury (burns, cuts, or bruises)
• Surgery
• *Sometimes, CPRS develops without any apparent injury.

• It has been identified and described with over 200 different English names since the 16th century.
• It was a common issue during the American Civil War.
• It occurs more in women than men.
• There is no cure, but a pain-free recovery is possible.
• In severe cases, a disability can develop.