Do you have pain in your arms, legs, hands, or feet that changes in intensity? Are you prone to pins and needles in these areas? Have you noticed issues with your fine motor control ability, or experience spasms, tremors, or stiffness? If so, you may need to see your primary healthcare practitioner, because you could be suffering from a condition known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Starting CRPS therapy as soon as possible is essential to managing the condition.
A variety of therapy approaches may help in dealing with CRPS. In all cases, however, CRPS therapy focuses on restoring the affected limb’s function and increasing movement in that area. Still, though, many people never fully recover from the condition.
CRPS usually occurs in the arms, hands, legs, or feet. It is a neurological disorder that often manifests after an injury like a fracture. CRPS can, however, also occur in other parts of the body. The condition was once referred to as reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
Although the exact cause of CRPS remains unknown, the condition is associated with inflammation and possible nerve dysfunction.
There are two types of CRPS1. The first is called sympathetic dystrophy. Here, no known nerve damage has occurred. The second, causalgia, develops due to nerve damage in a specific area. The consensus seems to be that CRPS is an immune system disorder that affects your nervous system and results in inflammation of the nerves controlling temperature, blood flow, and sensation.
We usually associate inflammation with an external injury, like a wound. Foreign pathogens enter the injured area, and our immune system kicks in to protect that area. It does this by inducing inflammation. So, essentially, inflammation is a good thing and tells us that our bodies are working at healing themselves.
Our immune response and the consequent inflammation are a stress response, however. In other words, the wound causes stress to the body. This stress thus causes the immune response and the resulting inflammation.
Our NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response, governed by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis governs the way our bodies respond to stress.
But stress on our body can be caused by many things. These include both external and internal factors. Neurological damage to a certain area is thus a stressor and can result in inflammation of a specific area or areas. We associate swelling, redness, heat, and pain with inflammation.
Unchecked, inflammation can become chronic and result in a variety of autoimmune disorders and even neurological conditions.
The symptoms associated with CRPS vary from one person to the next. Some people experience mild symptoms. In others, more severe symptoms manifest. These symptoms may between a few months to a few years. The condition usually has three stages of development. This may influence CRPS therapy.
The first stage usually lasts between one and three months. Symptoms include:
Changes in skin appearance, texture, and/or colorThe second stage may last for three to six months. You may notice an increase in the severity of your symptoms. Your joints may stiffen, and you could experience a weakness in your muscles.
If you have not already undergone some form of CRPS therapy, you could progress to the third stage. Here, atrophy may occur in the muscles and tendons, and it may become extremely painful to move the affected area. Any changes that occur during this stage may become lasting.
While an injury may result in CRPS and the need for CRPS therapy, the truth is that nobody knows why someone with a certain injury may develop the condition while another person with the same injury does not. Also, some people who develop the condition have no known injuries or have been immobilized for a long time.
The most common causes of CRPS include:
Your risk of getting CRSP2 and thus having to undergo CRSP therapy increases if you have:
You should only embark on a CRSP therapy plan after diagnosis of the condition. Diagnosis takes your medical history and a physical examination into account. Although you cannot identify the condition with one test, certain procedures may provide insight into whether you have the condition.
These include the following:
Conventional CRPS therapy focuses on addressing the symptoms of the condition. This may include a variety of medications. These include the following:
Certain types of therapies may also prove a good CRPS therapy option. These include:
Various natural supplements can provide some pain relief and help reduce inflammation.
Topping the list to help with CRPS, we have vitamin C. A study conducted in 2021 shows the effectiveness of vitamin C in decreasing your risk of CRPS. 3 Vitamin C has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which implies it can also help deal with pain. This is why many healthcare providers advise patients to take higher dosages of the vitamin immediately after an operation or when they have experienced a fracture. LipoNano C contains a high vitamin C content as well as other natural products and is easily absorbed into your bloodstream.
Vitamin C plays an essential role in your body’s growth and development as well as the repairing of tissue. It also plays a role in many body functions like iron absorption, collagen formation, immune system function, maintaining healthy teeth, bones, and cartilage, and wound healing.
People have indulged in Epsom salt baths for centuries to help relax their muscles and reduce pain and swelling. Many people still swear by its efficacy and use it as a CRPS therapy. Recent research4 tends to provide some support in this regard.
Some of the most notable benefits of Epsom include:
Magnesium promotes healthy bones, muscles, and nerves. It also helps to balance blood sugar levels. But magnesium may also prove a good CRPS therapy, according to research.5 It was suggested that magnesium may address chronic pain resulting from migraines, abdominal issues, and CRPS.
Vitamin B12 may help in managing CRPS. The vitamin plays an important role in nerve regeneration and inhibits the production of certain enzymes that signal pain.
Other supplements that may help include:
The good news is that most people recover from the condition. Some people, however, have ongoing symptoms that may vary in their intensity. Some people experience the pain and discomfort of CRPS for years. They may need to consider ongoing CRPS therapy. The bad news is that about ten percent of adults with the condition may develop CRPS again after they thought they had fully recovered.
No matter what course of action you embark on regarding CRPS therapy, please do so under the care of a healthcare provider who understands the condition. Also, many medications and supplements may have side effects, interact with each other, or negatively affect other pre-existing conditions. You should thus only use these medications or supplements after consulting your doctor.
While the various symptoms of CRPS may prove debilitating in serious cases, you can manage the condition. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any of the symptoms mentioned, especially after breaking a bone or an operation. They may help you identify the conditions and suggest the course of action best suited to your needs. If you are dealing with CRPS, you want to make sure your body can also deal with the adrenal fatigue that comes with that stress. Give Dr. Lam's team a call at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial consultation to get your health back on track. Click here to get started.
LipoNano C is an oil-based high vitamin C content supplement that is easily absorbed.
Dey, Saugat. “Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.” StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf, 7 Aug. 2023, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430719.
Pons, Tracey, et al. “Potential Risk Factors for the Onset of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1: A Systematic Literature Review.” Anesthesiology Research and Practice, vol. 1–15, 1 Jan. 2015, https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/956539.
Giustra, Fortunato, et al. Vitamin C Could Prevent Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I (CRPS-I) in Trauma and Orthopedic Care? A Systematic Review of the Literature and Current Findings. 1 Jan. 2021, https://doi.org/10.14744/semb.2021.82335.
Langford, Brendan, et al. “Atypical Dermatologic Manifestations in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Case Report.” Journal of Medical Case Reports, vol. 16, no. 1, 27 June 2022, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03466-9.
Urits, Ivan, et al. “Utilization of Magnesium for the Treatment of Chronic Pain.” Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, vol. 11, no. 1, 6 Feb. 2021, https://doi.org/10.5812/aapm.112348.
CRPS can contribute to adrenal fatigue. The condition is associated with prolonged inflammation. Chronic inflammation is one of the symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue. Addressing CRPS may help alleviate inflammation and thus promote adrenal health. Chronic pain is also stressful, which can worsen your adrenal health, so reducing the pain may improve your stress levels.
