Facts and Statistics

Although complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) was first described in Civil War veterans more than 140 years ago, it remains a poorly understood and sometimes undiagnosed disorder that may affect millions of people in the United States alone.
Over the years, CRPS has been known by a number of different names including Sudecks atrophy, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, shoulder-hand syndrome, post- traumatic dystrophy, reflex neurovascular dystrophy and causalgia.
CRPS type I ("CRPS - I") and CRPS type 2 ("CRPS - II") are the current terms used by the International Association for the Study of Pain. This was done to more accurately describe the conditions previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and causalgia.
CRPS - I refers to cases of CRPS that do not involve nerve injuries. CRPS - II refers to those CRPS cases in which one or more nerves are injured. More people have type I than type II CRPS.
Although the actual prevalence is unknown, CRPS is not a rare disorder. According to the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association of America (RSDSA), CRPS may affect millions of people in the United States. Unfortunately, because symptoms vary so widely many people are not quickly diagnosed with CRPS.
CRPS is more common in women than men. The average age person affected by CRPS is in the mid-30s, although children and older adults can also be affected.
Medical science has not yet determined the real cause or causes of CRPS, but a number of precipitating factors are linked to the onset of CRPS. Most cases of CRPS begin after mild to severe trauma such as any injury, illness or procedure.
A common symptom among patients with CRPS is intense pain that feels much worse than it should and continues long after it should have stopped hurting. The pain is often described as sharp, shooting, stinging, burning, vibrating, deep, or tingling.
The distal part of the limb (hand or foot) is most often affected. Symptoms of CRPS may come and go over time.
No one specific medical test or tool is currently available to diagnose CRPS with 100% certainty. Any combination of tests can only give a high, medium or low probability that the group of symptoms and signs is CRPS. Evaluation and testing involves a careful history and physical examination as well as a combination of complex tests that are best administered by specialists in pain medicine and management.
Treatment of CRPS requires a team approach – you, your healthcare providers, and others involved in your care. You may need a combination of treatments. These may include medication, nerve blocks, physical and occupational therapy, psychotherapy, spiritual counseling, and biofeedback. You may need more controversial and unproven interventional treatments such as permanent nerve blocks, or external or implantable pain-relief devices.
The long-term outcome of CRPS is usually better if it is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.