Complex regional pain syndrome or causalgia is known to affect around 200,000 individuals in the U.S. today. Those numbers may be low due to underreporting of the condition or lack of true diagnosis, but the fact remains that it is a rare condition. CRPS is characterized by chronic pain that is often so bad patients become afraid to move or walk, resulting in further complications due to atrophy.

Original nerve damage may be due to a car accident injury or a surgery or other event. CRPS usually erupts not only painfully but also as a surprise to the individual who may have had a sprain or a break that already healed, only to find themselves later dealing with a health problem that is much worse. Symptoms often occur topically and internally; for example, unique changes to the skin are usually an indicator of CRPS, whether through color changes or transformation in texture. The skin often becomes so sensitive to touch that just the slightest contact with anything is painful. Joints and muscles may be affected too, and often severely so.

The condition is separated into two types, which also have alternative terms attached to them:

• Type 1 CRPS – Ninety percent of the patients affected with CRPS have Type 1, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD). The Mayo Clinic describes this type as one that occurs ‘after an illness or injury that didn't directly damage the nerves in your affected limb.’
• Type 2 CRPS – This CRPS type has been referred to as causalgia in the past. It usually presents itself directly after an injury to a nerve, and without as much mystery about the painful onset.

If you are suffering from CRPS, it is important to get treatment as soon as possible for a successful outcome. Your doctor may diagnose CRPS through a CT, MRI, or a bone scan and then begin a regimen of treatment depending on the severity.

Were you in an accident due to the negligence of others that triggered CRPS? If so, please call Heintz Law today to consult with a skilled CRPS lawyer. Our attorneys have helped victims from Bradenton, Sarasota, and all over Florida get compensation for their damages and medical expenses. Call us for a free consultation now at 941-748-2916 or contact us online. We are here to help, and if you cannot come to us, we will come to you.

All blogs are written on behalf of Heintz Law for informational purposes. These articles should not, however, be considered legal advice, or in any way responsible for creating an attorney/client relationship.