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Chronic pain and changes in skin color that develop after a stroke, heart attack or injury often are signs of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). This form of chronic pain usually affects the extremities, such as a leg or an arm. It appears to be an overreaction to the sensation of pain, and once it starts, your nervous system isn’t able to discontinue it. The symptoms of CRPS can be disabling and greatly reduce your quality of life.
When you suffer from any type of chronic pain, you need relief as soon as possible. If you’re looking for a CRPS specialist near me in New York or New Jersey, Dr. Leon Reyfman at Neuro Injury Specialists specializes in anesthesiology and pain management. He may recommend the newest treatments, such as peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) and spinal cord stimulation. These modalities have transformed how CRPS is treated.
CRPS symptoms typically occur after an injury or after surgery. Following a fall, auto accident or sports injury, nerves send continuous pain signals to the brain. Pain after an accident usually starts to get better as the body heals, but if you have CRPS, your pain may worsen instead of improving.
Symptoms include:
To arrive at a diagnosis of CRPS, your New York neurologist does an examination and runs extensive diagnostic tests to rule out other possible causes of chronic pain. Examples of tests that may be run include X-rays, bone scans, an electromyography or nerve conduction studies.
Before treatment, your specialist needs to diagnose CPRS with nerve block, nerve conduction velocity (NCV) or electromyography (EMG) testing. Correctly diagnosing your condition is the first step toward effective pain-relieving treatment.
Early complex regional pain syndrome treatment leads to better outcomes, because when new treatments for CRPS are started early enough, you have a better chance of complete recovery.
Elevating the limb and applying heat reduces swelling and pain while you doctor recommends other CRPS treatments such as:
In a spinal cord stimulation treatment, a device is implanted that uses mild electric currents to block nerve impulses in the spine. The goal of treatment is to restore function to the affected limb and to reduce your pain. Similarly, peripheral nerve stimulation places a stimulating wire near the nerve that’s triggering your pain, which relieves pain by interfering with the pain signal.
A form of treatment that’s effective for one patient may not be effective for another. Your NYC neurologist works closely with you to create a customized treatment plan and follows up to be sure your treatment plan is working for you.
Most cases of CRPS happen after an injury that damages sensory and autonomic nerve fibers. It’s not yet known why some people develop CRPS after a trauma while others with similar injuries don’t, but it appears to be related to different inflammatory responses.
Injuries that may lead to a need for complex regional pain syndrome treatments include:
Complex regional pain syndrome can affect people of all ages. Medical conditions such as diabetes and poor circulation increase the risk of developing this condition. And symptoms can sometimes appear with no obvious injury.
It’s imperative that you seek medical help if you have symptoms of CRPS or if you know you have CRPS and your symptoms are worsening. If you’re living with chronic pain, you may run across doctors who try to tell you that you’re exaggerating or that your symptoms are all in your head. Don’t give up on getting help. Look for a doctor with a good reputation who specializes in neurology and pain management.
The CRPS specialist near me you choose should be committed to staying on top of the latest options in treating CRPS and other conditions that cause chronic pain. Contact Dr. Reyfman at Neuro Injury Specialists. in New Jersey or New York. He’s a top neurologist known for his expertise in diagnosing and treating conditions that cause chronic nerve pain.