Complex regional pain syndrome lives up to every word in its name. Not only is it unusually complicated, but it is rare and hard to diagnose, and leads many to wonder how a condition often so severe could develop out of something which seemed so minor initially. Type 1 is the form of CRPS affecting 90 percent of patients after some sort of trauma, while Type 2 is rarer and develops from a direct nerve injury.

The condition only affects around 200,000 people in the US to begin with, with women more often having CRPS. So far, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there are no children documented with CRPS under the age of five—and few under the age of ten. There tends to be a ‘peak age’ of 40, but for children who are suffering from CRPS, they tend to have complications due to missing school, missing activities, and feeling alone. There may also be a significant gap between the time that they start feeling symptoms from CRPS and the time that it is diagnosed, due to a lack of specific tests for the condition.

No matter their age, as Type 1 develops, the affected individual may be confused and surprised to find out they have CRPS. It can be hard to understand how an injury that healed fairly easily already has re-emerged as a chronic and very painful condition. Car accidents or motorcycle crashes that caused broken bones or sprains are often a trigger, as well as surgeries or even a mild stroke or other health issue.

Symptoms may transform the skin, leading to a wide array of issues such as overwhelming sensitivity and pain, discoloration at the site, and strange and uncomfortable ranges of temperature from hot, to cold, to clammy. Muscle spasms may occur, and those with CRPS sometimes have challenges with mobility overall, as well as issues with dystonia—where fingers or toes become fixed in an unnatural position. The pain associated with CRPS may be so severe at times that patients become afraid to move and trigger an episode.

A variety of medications may be prescribed for CRPS, to include pain relievers, corticosteroids—as well as prescriptive therapies.

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.