Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a stressful and sometimes debilitating disease. Its emotional effects can even interfere with one regular daily routine. Knowing and understanding these effects can help a person with CRPS cope with each change and help them continue living a fruitful and happy life.
The Physical Cause
Research has shown that among CRPS patients, limbic system dysfunctions are prevalent. The limbic system, also called the “emotion center” of the brain, is responsible for storing memories, hormone regulations, and emotions among others. It is located between the brain stem and the brain hemispheres. The conditions found among the patients who were tested were insomnia, irritability, agitation and anxiety, depression, poor memory and concentration, poor judgment, and panic attacks.
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Like the way that Complex Region Pain Syndrome, or CRPS, affects your whole body, and not just one part of it, so too is it’s effects on you and your family. Even if you’re the only one afflicted with the sickness, your whole family feels its consequences. Though, yes, you’re the only one who feels the physical pain, you are not alone when it comes to the mental anguish and the emotional torture. Your family does not want to see you suffer, and because you are suffering, they cannot help but feel for you. And sometimes, they can go the other way. They can become skeptic of your pain, tired of taking care of your needs or even downright hostile towards you and your condition. Talk about rubbing salt into the wounds.
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It’s very hard to diagnose Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (or CRPS for short), simply because the symptoms are usually far apart, and do not appear connected. It’s harder still when they do not manifest at the same time. It’s very hard to pinpoint a particular sickness when you’re looking at the bits and pieces of it, rather than the large picture. However, there are clues that can help guide you towards a correct CRPS diagnosis, and here are some of them. Warning! Once you feel these symptoms in your body, go and see your doctor immediately! Read the rest of this entry »
People are afflicted with this disease know how painful the situation really is. It is a neurological disorder and goes by the name of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or RSD. It is also called by several names: Sudeck’s atrophy, Reflex Neurovascular Dystropgy or RND and Algoneurodystrophy. The affected region shows no visible nerve damages even if it is a neurological disorder. RSD is one form of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CPRS.
The following are the reported symptoms of RSD; severe burning pain, stiff joints, rapid and abnormal growth of nail and hair, plus muscle spasms. Another effect of RSD is the constriction of blood vessels which in turn causes vasospasm. Read the rest of this entry »
If it wasn’t bad enough, Complex Region Pain Syndrome also brings another complication into the mix: skin issues. They again range from mild to very severe. Mild conditions simply cause discoloration, itchiness or rashes, while the more severe ones can actually become infected and life threatening.
Skin disorders are also considered as symptoms of Complex Region Pain Syndrome. At the very least, they are aggravating. However, another life threatening complication is the ulcers, which can become very dangerous if they become more severe. Many sufferers of CRPS experience these daily, but with a little care and a little maintenance, some of them are manageable.
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