What Is CRPS? Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Types 1 & 2) Explained

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that most often develops in an arm, hand, leg, or foot after an injury. It is sometimes called RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy), and many people searching online type it as "chronic regional pain syndrome." Whatever you call it, its defining feature is the same: pain that is far more severe and long-lasting than the original injury would suggest. If this developed after a job injury, a Pennsylvania CRPS lawyer can explain your rights.

Common Symptoms of CRPS

• Burning, throbbing pain out of proportion to the injury
• Allodynia — severe pain from light touch, clothing, or even a breeze
• Swelling and stiffness in the affected limb
• Skin changes — color (red, blue, mottled), temperature, and texture
• Changes in hair and nail growth and abnormal sweating
• Reduced range of motion and weakness

How Life-Changing CRPS Can Be

CRPS is frequently rated among the most severe pain conditions in all of medicine — often described as more intense than an amputation or childbirth. For many people it is one of the most life-altering things that will ever happen to them. It rarely stays confined to the injured limb:

• The ability to work. Many people with CRPS can no longer perform their trade — or work at all — because they cannot grip, stand, walk, or tolerate touch, cold, or vibration.
• Everyday life. Dressing, holding a cup, sleeping through the night, or hugging a child can become painful or impossible.
• Mental health. Constant, unrelenting pain drives high rates of depression, anxiety, and isolation — a real and compensable part of the condition.
• Finances. Lost income collides with a lifetime of care — nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulators, medications, and specialists that can continue for decades.

Because the impact is this profound and often permanent, a CRPS claim has to be built to protect you for the long term — and that takes a lawyer with real CRPS experience. See why these cases require special skill.

CRPS Type 1 vs. Type 2

There are two recognized types, and they are treated the same way under workers' comp:

CRPS Type 1 (formerly RSD)

Type 1 develops after an injury or illness that did not directly damage a nerve in the affected limb. This is the type historically called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). It is the more common form.

CRPS Type 2 (formerly causalgia)

Type 2 follows a confirmed nerve injury. The symptoms are similar to Type 1, but there is identifiable damage to a specific nerve.

How Is CRPS Diagnosed?

There is no single test for CRPS. Doctors typically diagnose it clinically using the Budapest Criteria, which look at the pattern of sensory, vasomotor (color/temperature), and motor/trophic signs and symptoms, after ruling out other conditions. Because diagnosis is clinical, insurers often dispute it — which is why documentation from the right specialists is so important.

How CRPS Starts After a Work Injury

CRPS commonly begins after a fracture, crush injury, sprain, dislocation, or surgery — the kinds of injuries workers suffer every day, including in work-related car and truck crashes. Early diagnosis and consistent treatment give the best chance of managing the condition, so getting proper medical care right away matters for both your health and your claim.

What This Means for Your Claim

CRPS is a serious, often permanent condition, and Pennsylvania workers' compensation should cover the treatment and wage loss it causes. Because these claims are so heavily contested, working with a lawyer who has handled them before is critical. Attorney Michael Cardamone is a Certified Workers' Compensation Specialist who has handled hundreds of CRPS and RSD cases — learn about your claim options next.