Acupuncture for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

What is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), is a chronic pain condition, which most often affects one of the arms, legs, hands, or feet.  The onset of CRPS is typically due to a previous injury.  This can include a fracture, sprain, or surgery. There are 2 classifications of CRPS. Type I is the most common, which is frequently triggered by tissue injury that did not have an underlying nerve injury.  Type II is clearly associated with a previous nerve injury.

Signs and Symptoms

The key symptom of CRPS is intense pain that is continuous and is out of proportion to the severity of the injury, if an injury had previously occurred.  The pain also gets worse rather than better over time. The other key symptoms of CRPS includes:

• Increased skin sensitivity to the area with CRPS

• Changes in skin temperature: feels warmer or cooler compared to the opposite side

• Changes in skin color: skin can become blotchy, purple, pale, or red

• Changes in skin texture: shiny and thin, and sometimes excessively sweaty

• Changes in nail and hair growth patterns

• Swelling and stiffness in affected joints

• Decreased ability to move the affected body part

Conventional western treatment

Because there is no cure for CRPS, treatment is aimed at relieving painful symptoms so that people can resume their normal lives. The following western  therapies are often used:

• Physical therapy

• Psychotherapy (as this condition can significantly impact a persons mental health)

• Medications: Many different classes of medication are used to treat CRPS as no single drug or combination of drugs has produced consistent long-lasting improvement in symptoms.

• Sympathetic nerve blocks and other surgical procedures

Chinese Medicine Treatment

Chinese medicine has more than 3000 years of history. In recent years, it has become popular in western world, especially for treatment of many pain conditions including CRPS. Chinese medicine can address every aspect of CRPS, through the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine. 

Throughout my education, which includes 2 post graduate programs in sports medicine and orthopedic acupuncture, I have received extensive specialized training in the treatment of CRPS.  Research has shown that acupuncture has been found to alleviate the debilitating symptoms of CRPS, both physically and mentally. There are extremely high rates of depression for those experiencing CRPS as the pain from CRPS can significantly impact a persons quality of life.  When I have patients coming in with CRPS, they have often been frustrated by the lack of progress made from typical western interventions and treatments.  By time someone walks into my clinic, they are often looking showing up as a last resort treatment option.  Patients are often surprised that acupuncture can treat both the physical and mental/emotional impact of CRPS. It is critical to address both of these components.  If you have CRPS and you are wondering if acupuncture is right for you, the sooner you try it the better. 

How many treatments are needed before you see improvement?

In general, the sooner someone seeks treatment for CRPS, the better the results. The more chronic and severe cases take longer to respond to treatment.  Typically patients will notice improvement in 8-12 treatments.  Herbs and acupuncture point injections can be used as well to treat the presenting symptoms and are a great adjunct therapy to acupuncture. Treatments can vary depending on the part of the body impacted by CRPS as well as the symptoms and severity the person is experiencing.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing CRPS and want to know how acupuncture can help, please do not hesitate to reach out and ask questions.