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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffIf complex regional pain syndrome isn't diagnosed and treated early, the disease may progress to more disabling signs and symptoms. These may include:
- Tissue wasting (atrophy). If you avoid moving an arm or a leg because of pain or if you have trouble moving a limb because of stiffness, your skin, bones and muscles may begin to deteriorate.
- Muscle tightening (contracture). You may also experience tightening of your muscles. This may lead to a condition in which your hand and fingers or your foot and toes contract into a fixed position.
References
- Sheon RP. Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
- Sheon RP. Prevention and management of complex regional pain syndrome in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
- Complex regional pain syndrome fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy/detail_reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy.htm. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
- Neuropathic pain. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch209/ch209c.html#sec16-ch209-ch209c-285. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
- Shipton EA. Complex regional pain syndrome — Mechanisms, diagnosis, and management. Current Anaesthesia & Critical Care. 2009;20:209.
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