Imagine if the mere breeze of an air conditioner were to send you into excruciating pain. For those suffering from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), historically called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), this crippling neuropathic pain is an unrelenting reality. With symptoms such as swelling, hypersensitivity, stiffness, burning pain, and temperature abnormalities, CRPS can develop at any time and quickly leaves its victims disabled and isolated. This book explains CRPS in an accessible style, featuring modern self-help techniques, complementary therapies, and holistic strategies for maximizing the potential for healing. Readers with CRPS will find a wealth of tips on life modifications to help better manage their condition, along with a list of "dynamite distractions" to refresh the pain-wracked mind and help them rediscover their imagination and humor. Patient testimonies on techniques for transforming the pain and discomfort of CRPS provide hope, and interviews with practitioners, including pain specialist Edward Carden and occupational therapist/neurological acupuncturist Sheri Barnes, offer insights every patient should know. There's even a chapter addressed to loved ones with advice for their difficult roles as encouragers and caregivers. CRPS remains a mysterious, poorly understood condition. This book provides the information and positive options everyone affected by CRPS needs.

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Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) affects millions of people worldwide. The disease causes patients to suffer from constant chronic pain after minor trauma or surgery. The purpose of this book is to share the stories of how CRPS impacts the lives of patients. We hope that these stories will enlighten how CRPS disrupts the patient's life on many levels, from having family issues, social issues, financial distress, and how the medical community treats these patients. It is our hope this book will help educate the public, the medical community, and promote more awareness about CRPS.

The most misunderstood and complex subject in medicine is the hyperpathic pain of sympathetic dystrophy. More common than previously thought, it comprises between 10 and 20 percent of chronic pain patients. Understanding this self-perpetuating pain -- which ""never stops"" -- requires unbiased knowledge of physiology and pathology. Chronic Pain: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, Prevention, and Management is devoted to the subject of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). The book classifies the different stages of RSD and describes the qualitative and quantitative differences between natural endorphins and synthetic narcotics. Included are long-term follow-ups on sympathectomy patients. This important reference explains why sympathectomy fails, but nerve block and physiotherapy is successful in the treatment of RSD. In addition, the mechanism of development of RSD is clarified through an extensive collection of drawings and anatomical pictures as well. Other topics include thermographic methods for the diagnosis of RSD, the role of ACTH in the management of chronic pain, and comparisons between the effects of ACTH and those of corticosteroids. Features Classifies the different stages of RSD Features the most comprehensive coverage of the literature on RSD and its related aspects Describes qualitative and quantitative differences between natural endorphins and systemic narcotics Examines the role of ACTH in the management of chronic pain Clarifies the mechanism of development of RSD through an extensive collection of drawings and anatomical pictures Explains why sympathectomy fails, but nerve block and physiotherapy is successful in the treatment of RSD

This book provides an up-to date, extensive, and focused review of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). It reflects the current scientific understanding of the disorder, describes appropriate treatment recommendations, and explores future directions of diagnosis and treatment. Divided into three sections, the first section covers the etiology and pathology of CRPS. The following section offers treatments and emerging advances in evaluation and/or treatment. The book then closes with an exploration of varying patient populations. Each chapter is authored by specialists experienced with CRPS research and treatment. Additionally, the review and recommendations provided reflect careful consideration of evidence-based medicine and medical consensus guidelines. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome targets a range of healthcare specialties including pain management, rheumatology, neurology, internal medicine, and family practice.

Complex regional pain syndrome is a medically and economically significant condition that is disproportionate to the inciting event. Until now, it has been difficult to make the diagnosis, but this volume presents validated diagnostic criteria for the condition. Treatment for the condition has been hampered by the lack of good clinical evidence. This volume summarizes all reported treatments and evaluates the scientific evidence for each. A treatment algorithm is presented. This is a text that will be invaluable for the clinician, and for all those who address the issues of CRPS in the medical, rehabilitation, public health, or medicolegal fields.

Combining theoretical and practical aspects of pain, from basic scientific concepts to specific strategies of therapeutic management, this book serves as a guide to current concepts of pain and should appeal to both clinicians and researchers.