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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    CRPS 21 Y/O female sufferer following trauma

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    Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Foot Conditions
    Hello, my sister has recently been diagnosed with CRPS following what they believe to be trauma after being bed bound for 14 days due to an induced coma for severe pneumonia. Following the coma, she was complaining of pins and needles on the sole of her right foot. Soon after came unbearable excruciating pain, possibly 7 days following her constant pins and needles. Assuming it was nerve damage, we began private physio very closely upon discharge. Her right foot very quickly became inflammed and swelled to what she called a burning sensation generally localising to the ball of her foot and big toe, although sometimes radiating to the heel etc. After two weeks of long sleepless nights, we ended up in the ER where she was given 300mg Lyrica and 10mg of endep. Needless to say, these helped to a small extent but we are still getting many sleepless nights with very small progress. Does anyone have any advice to offer or a possible prognosis for her? Thanks kindly.
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    • Rob Nash
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    Thanks

    Rob Nash

    Exercise Physiologist

    Hi Tanja, I am very sorry to hear about your sister, that must be very difficult to deal with for your whole family. 

    The most important aspect for your sister to get her head around is that CRPS is a condition in which the nervous system is 'stuck' in a pain cycle, regardless of the condition/health of the tissues (muscles, joints, bones etc). So while I understand that she is experiencing pain and inflammation in her foot, it is not being caused by her foot, but due to physiological and hormonal changes in her brain. CRPS can be 'triggered' after a traumatic event (such as the experience your sister went through) because any form of significant trauma can effectively alter the brain, and put it into a survival type mode. Pain being it's way of protecting the body from harm.

    I would advise that your sister obtains a Chronic Disease Management Plan from her GP, and sees a team of therapists who specifically deal with chronic pain. I would suggest a good reheumatologist, a psychologist who deals specifically with chronic pain (this is because there are psychological issues at play here - i.e. trauma), a physio or exercise physiologist and a myo who is also well educated in chronic pain.

    With good long term care, she should be able to overcome a lot of her symptoms.

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