Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Dennis E. Hughes, DO, FAAFP, FACEP Reviewed 06/2020

BASICS

DESCRIPTION

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a pain syndrome that can be chronic and debilitating. It is divided into two subtypes and can have significant physical and psychosocial shor...

DIAGNOSIS

Unprovoked pain is the hallmark of the condition, and the diagnosis of CRPS is excluded by the existence of conditions that would otherwise account for the degree of symptoms. Budapest clini...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Discourage maladaptive behaviors (pain medication seeking, secondary gain). Principal of functional restoration is a stepwise and multidisciplinary approach. Early and aggres...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Weekly, to monitor progress and initiate additional modalities as needed

PATIENT EDUCATION

Counsel to remain active physically.
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrom...

REFERENCES

Lo JC, Cavazos J, Burnett C. Management of complex regional pain syndrome. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2017;30(3):286–288.

Shim H, Rose J, Halle S, et al. Complex regional pain syndro...

ADDITIONAL READING

Goh EL, Chidambaram S, Ma D. Complex regional pain syndrome: a recent update. Burns Trauma. 2017;5:2.

CODES

ICD10

G90.52 Complex regional pain syndrome I of lower limb
G90.523 Complex regional pain syndrome I of lower limb, bilateral
G56.4 Causalgia of upper limb
G90.522 Complex regional pain syndrome I o...

CLINICAL PEARLS

A pain syndrome disproportioned to injury
Pain control and early mobility are the key to recovery.
Avoid use of opiate analgesics.
Use a multidisciplinary approach

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