Living with Indianapolis Accident Injuries: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
An Indianapolis accident can be the culprit for any number of serious injuries that can affect the body in various ways. Among them, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain syndrome that generally develops after a serious injury that affects the nerves or nervous system. If you believe you are suffering from CRPS as the result of an accident in which another person was at fault, contact an attorney at one of the hardest-working law firms in Indianapolis.
CRPS generally affects a certain limb or extremity such as an arm or leg, and there are two categories into which CRPS can be categorized. The symptoms are largely similar and both categorizations, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and Causalgia, are serious.
Symptoms of CRPS after an Indianapolis Accident
Signs of CRPS can evolve and are different with each individual, but the most common symptoms, such as pain, swelling, redness and sensitivity, occur first and last the longest. Other symptoms include:
- Burning or throbbing in an extremity
- Swelling around area that hurts
- Skin color changes, ranging from white to red to blue
- Changes to the texture of the skin, such as becoming shiny or much thinner
- Changes in hair or nail growth
- Stiffness or swelling in the joints
- Muscle weakness or spasms
- Limited range of motion
CRPS may spread from its place of origin to elsewhere in the body, and pain and discomfort can be aggravated by psychological stress. In some cases, the signs of CRPS may dissipate on their own, whereas in other cases, the symptoms may last for years.
Causes, Complications and Treatments
Both types of CRPS are most commonly caused by an injury to the nerves, and in many cases CRPS develops after a traumatic injury such as a limb being crushed, fractured or amputated. It is not fully understood why injuries such as those linked to surgery, heart attacks or infections can trigger CRPS, but they are known to do so, and emotional duress has long been considered a contributory element as well.
CRPS responds best to early treatment, and certain complications are more likely to arise if the syndrome is neither diagnosed nor treated in a timely fashion. Atrophy, or the deterioration of the muscle and other tissue, is one of the more common complications that can develop if CRPS progresses. Contracture, or the tightening of muscles, can also develop, which could leave your hands and fingers or toes and feet in a locked position.
The most successful treatments are usually those that begin within the first few months after a patient’s symptoms develop, and doctors typically use a combination of therapies and medications to combat CRPS.
These treatments are often expensive, and if you were injured in an Indianapolis accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence or carelessness, you should not have to shoulder that financial burden by yourself, and you may be entitled to compensation from the party that was responsible for the accident. Contact an attorney at one of the hard-working law firms in Indianapolis for a no-cost consultation of your case.