Causes of CRPS

The exact causes for CRPS still continue to elude the grasp of professional medical practitioners and specialists. Most of them agree that is does not have a single, definite cause. It is a medical condition that is actually a combination of several other medical complications that share the same symptoms. Having said that, CRPS has often been found to inflict a person who has suffered from:

• some kind of trauma to the limb (could be a gun shot wound or shrapnel blast)
• surgery
• heart attacks
• fractures
• infections

Symptoms of CRPS

Some of the symptoms of CRPS include:

• intense, burning pain often targeting extremities such as arms, legs, hands or feet
• changes in the skin’s color, texture and sensitivity
• changes in nail growth patterns
• changes in hair growth patterns
• stiffness and swelling in the affected joints
• disability to move affected body part

Sometimes the pain begins in a finger or toe and travels through the entire arm or leg. The above mentioned symptoms can vary in terms of length and severity. The progression of the disease could be of any of the following types:

• Type 1: intense, burning pain where the injury has occurred. Rapid nail and hair growth maybe noticed. Muscle spasm and stiffness of joints may also occur. The patient might also experience vasospasm or constriction of blood vessels which can lead to skin discoloration or variation of temperature.
• Type 2: The pain begins to worsen and intensify. Bones become soft and nails tend to become brittle and cracked. Joints stiffen and muscles begin to weaken further.
• Type 3: This type is quite severe and the patient may begin to suffer from restrictions in terms of mobility. The pain spread rapidly and begins to affect the entire limb. Marked muscle loss also sets in and the changes in bones and skin often become irreversible.

Some of the other problems faced by patients suffering from CRPS are insomnia, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, irritability, anxiety and depression.

Coping With CRPS

As mentioned earlier, CRPS is a debilitating disease and can often take a very severe toll on both the physical and mental well-being of the patient. The following pointers can be kept in mind while trying to cope with this chronic disease.

• The intense pain caused due to CRPS can make the patients suffer from sleepless nights. To counter this problem, the patient can try using over-the-counter medication to get some sleep. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before one begins to take this medication in order to avoid complications that may arise due to multiple drug dosages. The patient can also try having a warm bath with relaxing scents before going to bed.
• Another problem that arises due to the burning pain traumatizing CRPS patients is their forgetfulness and lack of concentration. This can be tackled to some extent by using a handy notebook or sticky notes to jot down important events or other aspects that may slip their minds.
• It is not uncommon for CRPS patients to experience irritability and anxiety. This often leads to conflicts with loved ones, family members and friends. Sometimes, the feelings of guilt may escalate, leading to depression. Patients feel alienated from their family and friends and this heightens their sense of loneliness and depression. Anger and frustration can set in and make the patient feel hopeless and depressed.  To avoid this, patients can have an emotional outlet in the form of a journal or diary. Family and friends play a very vital role in waging this war against a rather painful disease. They need to be loving, sympathetic and supportive. If the need arises, the patient can also seek support from a therapist or psychologist.

People with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) may experience a few or maybe a combination of the above mentioned emotional problems. But with proper preparation, care, and assistance CRPS patients can handle these problems with hope and courage.

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.


Common Problems of the Skin

Skin is a very good indicator of color and temperature. If they color and/or temperature of the body changes, the skin can be a reliable way to tell what is really happening in the body. If the core temperature of the body suddenly drops, and this can even reach freezing temperatures, the color of the skin can be blue, pink, purple, or a combination of all of them, which is called mottled. It can even feel cold when touched. When the temperature soars, however, the skin feels hot, and the color is red or orange or shades of the same. All these are caused by blood vessel constriction.

When a person has CRPS, the skin often becomes brittle, thin and easily bruised. This is caused by tissue atrophy. The thinning of the skin causes cuts to appear more often in your skin, even by object that are not sharp at all such as rims of glasses and edges of boxes.

CRPS sufferers may also have dark discolored spots on their skin, and this is a patch of thick skin that may peel. This is a common result of a limb being unused for a long time, due to the pain that accompanies using it. Improper skin care can be the result of ultra-sensitive skin. Due to CRPS, even the lightest touch of the breeze can be agony on the skin of those who are sick.

Where the skin breaks down, ulcers can form. They will require further treatment should they become infected. There are a lot of treatments available such as creams for the mildest cases, up to amputation for the most drastic ones. If one has enough cash, one can opt for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, or HBOT, as it can help ulcers of several sizes and degrees heal.

Another common problem is dry, flaky skin, and this can be either localized or on the whole body. You can opt to hydrate your skin by drinking a lot of fluids and using moisturizers and creams.

If you have CRPS and start to get sports, you should definitely closely monitor them. Benign spots can become sores, and even the smallest sore will take a long time to heal. Worst-case scenario, the sore will develop into an ulcer. Once a sore does not heal or become smaller, you should consult your doctor immediately.

For some people with CRPS, even if the temperature is warm, they can get goose bumps. This is due to small muscles called erector pili muscles pulling the hairs on your skin, making them stand straight. This is called the pilomotor reflex.

CRPS even affects your sweat glands. Some people can sweat very profusely, and this can become an embarrassing situation. Once this occurs, you can take drugs such as Lyrica to help your condition. On the other hand, if you do not sweat at all, you should see your doctor immediately.

Itching, another symptom, can also be localized or affecting the whole body. Be careful when you scratch, as this can leave a lingering, burning pain on your hypersensitive skin. Also, a very light scratch can already result in tearing your skin.

Epsom salt soaks can help in this situation as it not only helps in making the swelling go down, but also promotes the growth of new, healthy skin.

There are a lot more mix-matched symptoms of Complex Region Pain Syndrome, many of which are a lot more complicated. If you exercise a lot of care, most of the skin problems can be handled. It would be a good idea to monitor your skin daily, and report to your doctor immediately should any change occur. Remember that your immune system is severely compromised, and any small wound or sore that is delayed in healing can easily result into something much more serious.