It's official... Im suffering from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)?


Question:
Earlier today, I went to see a pain specialist. After visiting 13 doctors, I managed to get a diagnosis. Much to my dismay, it wasn't much of a good news either. The doctor said I'm suffering from CRPS. He told me that there are treatments for it, and also declared there is no known cure yet. He did tell me what the treatments are however, but explained how complicated they can be as well. My feelings caught up with me when he explained the treatment procedure, so I didn't really pay much attention to him. I've been suffering from CRPS and RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) and Hypertonia for 3 years now. Can anyone tell me what treatments are available for this illness? What are the advantages and disadvantages for each treatment? I would really appreciate it.

Answers:
I was diagnosed back in 2000 with CRPS. I go through sporadic remissions of it. It's very odd. I went to physical therapy for awhile and this treatment did in fact help me (as well as hurt some) but I stopped going after I thought I was getting better. I was on medicine..Neurontin for a few years, but this caused excessive bruising and other bad side effects. They switched me to Amitripteline, which did in fact help with the pain, but put me to sleep. Currently I'm not really doing anything because it has just come back in the past 2 months. I'm kind of just dealing with it. This list of treatments I got off the below listed website...good luck. I might try some too...let me know how they work for you! Hope you find what works for you.


Physical therapy: A gradually increasing exercise program to keep the painful limb or body part moving may help restore some range of motion and function.
Psychotherapy: CRPS often has profound psychological effects on people and their families. Those with CRPS may suffer from depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, all of which heighten the perception of pain and make rehabilitation efforts more difficult.
Sympathetic nerve block: Some patients will get significant pain relief from sympathetic nerve blocks. Sympathetic blocks can be done in a variety of ways. One technique involves intravenous administration of phentolamine, a drug that blocks sympathetic receptors. Another technique involves placement of an anesthetic next to the spine to directly block the sympathetic nerves.
Medications: Many different classes of medication are used to treat CRPS, including topical analgesic drugs that act locally on painful nerves, skin, and muscles; antiseizure drugs; antidepressants, corticosteroids, and opioids. However, no single drug or combination of drugs has produced consistent long-lasting improvement in symptoms.
Surgical sympathectomy: The use of surgical sympathectomy, a technique that destroys the nerves involved in CRPS, is controversial. Some experts think it is unwarranted and makes CRPS worse; others report a favorable outcome. Sympathectomy should be used only in patients whose pain is dramatically relieved (although temporarily) by selective sympathetic blocks.
Spinal cord stimulation: The placement of stimulating electrodes next to the spinal cord provides a pleasant tingling sensation in the painful area. This technique appears to help many patients with their pain.
Intrathecal drug pumps: These devices administer drugs directly to the spinal fluid, so that opioids and local anesthetic agents can be delivered to pain-signaling targets in the spinal cord at doses far lower than those required for oral administration. This technique decreases side effects and increases drug effectiveness.

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I DUNNO


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