Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Specialist
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Premier Pain Management
Anesthesiologist and Pain Management Physician located in Northwest Bakersfield / Rosedale, Bakersfield, CA
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare chronic pain disorder that can severely interfere with your quality of life. Philip Khoury, DO, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist, diagnoses and treats CRPS at Premier Pain Management in Bakersfield, California. If you have severe, unexplained pain in your arms or legs, call Premier Pain Management or schedule a consultation online today.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Q & A
What is CRPS?
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is an uncommon but severe chronic pain disorder that usually affects an arm or a leg. CRPS might develop after an injury or surgery and is often more painful than the original injury. Medical research indicates that CRPS might be an autoimmune disorder that makes your body overreact to an injury.
There are two types of CRPS. Type 1 develops after a minor injury, like a sprain that doesn’t cause any nerve damage. Type 2 CRPS follows a more serious injury, like a fracture or surgical procedure that affects a nerve.
What are the symptoms of CRPS?
CRPS causes a variety of disruptive symptoms, including:
- Burning or throbbing pain in a hand, arm, foot, or leg
- Sensitivity to cold
- Tender to touch
- Swelling
- Changes to skin texture and color
- Skin temperature changes
- Joint stiffness and pain
- Muscle spasm and tremor
- Muscle weakness and atrophy
Over time, you lose your ability to move the affected limb. Depending on the location of your pain, your overall mobility may become limited.
How is CRPS diagnosed?
There’s no single test to identify CRPS. Dr. Khoury uses a variety of tests to rule out other conditions and confirm your diagnosis. For example, he uses blood tests, bone scans, X-rays, MRIs, and neurological testing, including electromyograms and sympathetic nervous system tests.
How is CRPS treated?
Dr. Khoury and his team provide customized treatment plans to reduce your pain and restore your quality of life. Premier Pain Management combines a variety of treatments to create a multidisciplinary approach to pain management.
Depending on your needs, Dr. Khoury might prescribe medicine, including corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and anticonvulsants. You might also benefit from medicated patches and creams to alleviate your pain.
Dr. Khoury might also recommend physical therapy and other modalities such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), spinal cord stimulation, and nerve blocks. In some cases, Dr. Khoury might also recommend an intrathecal pump to deliver medication directly into your spinal cord. You might also benefit from biofeedback and psychotherapy to manage your pain and its effect on your life.
If you have severe pain in one of your hands, arms, feet, or legs, contact Premier Pain Management for state-of-the-art testing and personalized treatment for CRPS.