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What Most Don't Understand About CRPS
Complex regional pain syndrome (CPRS) is a rare but incredibly painful condition that affects the nervous system, usually after an injury. Sometimes, the injury is as minor as a sprain or a small fracture. Other times, it follows surgery or trauma.
For people with CRPS, the pain becomes chronic, severe, and wildly out of proportion to the original injury.
CPRS can be easy to dismiss, both by doctors unfamiliar with the condition and by the people around the person living with it. It’s considered uncommon, but experts believe it’s also underdiagnosed.
Part of the problem is that it mimics other conditions such as nerve damage, arthritis, or fibromyalgia.
What sets CRPS apart is how extreme the pain can get. Some describe it as burning, stabbing, or feeling like their limb is on fire. Others report skin changes, swelling, and sensitivity so high that even a light breeze can feel unbearable. This level of suffering needs specialized care, and fast.
At SEPA Pain & Spine in southeastern Pennsylvania, our team knows what to look for and how to treat it early. The sooner we identify CRPS and treat it, the better our chances of controlling your pain and preventing long-term damage.
What CRPS feels like
Describing CRPS is difficult because the pain can be constant or come in waves. It can start in one part of your body, often a hand, arm, foot, or leg, and may stay localized or spread over time.
Most people with CRPS talk about the intensity. It’s not a dull ache, but a searing, crushing, or burning pain. The affected area may become swollen, red or pale, hot or cold, and the skin might become shiny or thin.
Hair and nail growth can also change. These are visible signs that your body’s nervous system is sending the wrong signals to your brain.
What our patients often misunderstand is just how debilitating this pain can be. The pain can become so severe that it interferes with your daily activities, mental health, and quality of life.
Why CRPS is hard to diagnose
There’s no single blood test, scan, or X-ray to diagnose CRPS. We diagnose it based on your symptoms and a detailed medical history. That’s partly why so many people go months or even years without the right diagnosis.
The symptoms of CRPS often overlap with other conditions like neuropathy, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or even anxiety. Someone may have told you that it’s “all in your head” or that it will go away on its own.
But CRPS doesn’t just go away, and the longer it goes untreated, the harder it is to manage.
That’s why you need a provider who’s experienced in nerve pain and complex cases. At SEPA Pain & Spine, we have that experience. Our team knows what to look for and how to spot the differences between CRPS and similar conditions.
What treatment looks like
There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for treating CRPS, but early intervention is crucial. The goal is to relax the nervous system, improve function, and ease pain as much as possible. Treatment might include:
- Medication to manage nerve pain and inflammation
- Physical therapy to help you regain strength and prevent stiffness
- Nerve blocks or spinal cord stimulation, if the pain isn’t responding to other treatments
- Psychological support, because living with chronic pain affects mental health too
Our team at SEPA Pain & Spine tracks what’s working, adjusting when needed.
One of the hardest things about CRPS is how isolating it can feel. It’s difficult to understand why a minor sprain could turn into something so painful. Friends and family may mean well, but they struggle to understand what you’re going through.
If you’re experiencing intense pain that won’t go away, especially after an injury or surgery, don’t wait to see someone who knows what to look for. Our fellowship-trained and board-certified providers have been practicing for close to 15-20 years.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation at any of our offices in Horsham, Langhorne, Meadowbrook, Chalfont, East Norriton, or Limerick in southeastern Pennsylvania. You can also request one online here.
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