CRPS Awareness Month 2022 – What It Is & Why We Support It

November is CRPS Awareness Month and Monday 7 November 2022 is ‘Colour the World Orange Day’. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of and to support those living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome; a chronic, debilitating condition which can have a devastating impact on the lives of those affected by it.

CRPS is a neuropathic condition which is thought to affect approximately 1 in 3800 a year. The condition, which usually starts in one limb (but can spread to other areas of the body), is characterized by burning pain and extreme sensitivity. It can cause excessive sweating and swelling as well as changes in temperature, skin, hair and nail growth.

CRPS may develop following injury or trauma which may be relatively minor but, in some cases, there is no identifiable cause which can make it difficult to diagnose.

Symptoms of CRPS can vary in their frequency and severity. In the most severe cases it can affect every area of a person’s life; making it difficult for them to work, to take part in their usual activities and to care for themselves and their families.

Those affected by CRPS may also experience significant psychological symptoms as a result of the condition as they struggle to cope with the pain; the distressing symptoms and the impact on their lives. They may feel a sense of disassociation from the affected part of their body; a feeling that it does not belong to them.

Treatment for CRPS needs to be carefully tailored for the individual and may include a variety of therapies to help manage pain; to provide management strategies and psychological treatment. The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath offers a national specialist service to those living with CRPS providing intensive rehabilitation programmes and long-term support.

Organisations such as Burning Nights and CRPS UK work constantly to improve the lives of those affected by CRPS and to raise awareness and improve understanding of the condition through their campaigns.

In the Serious Injury Team at Spencers Solicitors we have acted on behalf of many clients who have developed CRPS as a result of injury or trauma and understand the devastating impact it can have. We are committed to ensuring those clients who are living with the condition have access to the support and treatment they need to cope and to manage their symptoms.