Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful and sometimes debilitating neuro-inflammatory disorder that arises after a minor traumatic limb injury such as a sprain, strain, fracture or scrape, or sometimes after surgery or immobilization. Previously referred to as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), the condition affects roughly 80,000 Americans each year. The syndrome is marked by increased pain over time that is more severe than one would expect from the original injury.
CRPS is caused by a malfunction of the nervous and immune systems in response to tissue damage from trauma, causing nerves to misfire and send constant pain signals to the brain. CPRS normally affects an injured limb, but can also occur in the hands, feet, or back. The most common occurrence of CRPS is after a fracture to the distal radius, at the thumb side of the wrist.
CPRS can be divided into two subcategories: - Pain resulting from a distinct injury to a nerve.
- Pain arising from an injury not directly affecting a nerve.
While CRPS can affect anyone at any age, it most commonly affects people in their mid 30s, with females 3.5 times more likely to report the condition than males.
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