Complex regional pain syndrome

Abstract

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a disorder of the musculoskeletal system that primarily relates to abnormal functioning of the sensory, sympathetic, and motor nerves. The clinical picture is varied, but the main components are those of regional pain and tenderness disproportionate to any inciting event and commonly coupled with vasomotor (swelling and color change), sudomotor (sweating), or motor abnormality (stiffness, weakness, tremor, or dystonia). There are a number of clinical presentations of CRPS, with milder forms being fairly common and having a good prognosis, but less common and more severe CRPS often responding poorly to treatment and being more persistent. Pain, emotional distress, and disability characterize this disorder. © 2008 Springer-Verlag New York.