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FIGHT THE FLAME
  • Home
  • What Is CRPS?
  • How is CRPS Diagnosed?
  • About Us
  • Events
  • Support Group
  • How To Help
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • FTF Newsletters
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CRPS - Complex Regional Pain Syndrome definition
CRPS FACTS:

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

What is CRPS? CRPS, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, is a chronic and debilitating pain disorder that typically affects a limb following an injury. Patients with CRPS experience constant and unrelenting pain, along with various other symptoms. In many cases, the condition can also spread to other parts of the body.

Causes of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome occurs due to the overactivity or misfiring of sympathetic nerve fibers. Many cases of CRPS are triggered by some form of trauma, which can include surgery, broken or sprained bones, ligament injuries, injections, infections, or nerve damage. 


CRPS can affect anyone, regardless of gender or age. There is currently no known reason why this disorder affects some individuals and not others.

Not all CRPS patients experience the exact same symptoms. 

Burning Pain

Most Common Symptoms:

  • Pain: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome patients have reported that the pain feels burning/freezing, shooting/stabbing, and aching/throbbing. Some have said that it feels as if their blood has been replaced with gasoline and then lit on fire
  • Swelling
  • Inflammation
  • Severe sensitivity to normal touch and temperatures. Many people with CRPS will describe that even the slightest wind or the silkiest sheets touching their affected area feel like torture. This is referred to as allodynia.
  • Skin color and temperature changes – an affected body part may feel warmer or colder than it’s counter-part. The skin may look mottled; irregular and purplish.
  • Muscle spasms
  • Myoclonic jerks (quick, involuntary movements)
  • Trouble concentrating/memory loss
  • Insomnia
  • Stiffness, limited, or immobility of affected area

Many CRPS Patients Also Experience: 

  • Chronically fatigued
  • Sweating
  • Depression/anxiety
  • Skin lesions
  • Immune system problems
  • Sensitivity to sound, vibrations, aromas
  • Visual disturbances

Symptoms of CRPS

The many symptoms of CRPS

The McGill Pain Index

McGill Pain Index

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is the most painful condition known to mankind.

Melzack and Torgerson developed the McGill Pain Index at the McGill Institute in 1971 as a method for assessing the quality of pain. This index is utilized by doctors and hospitals around the world and serves as an invaluable tool for evaluating chronic pain. It is recognized as a consistent, reliable, and effective instrument.  The McGill Pain Index can help illustrate the severity of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) pain in comparison to more familiar medical conditions and diseases.

Standard Pain Scale vs. CRPS Pain

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