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Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Also Known As: Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSD)

Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.

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Connected health information

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1. Attributes 2. Signs & symptoms 3. Drugs / medications 4. Treatments by type 5. Further tests / investigations 6. Biological / test markers

Linked signs and symptoms

13

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Linked drugs / medications

5

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Treatments, therapies and supportive options

28

Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.

Linked diagnostic tests and investigations

11

These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.

Biological and test markers

2

This visual map uses existing EH database links to show biological agents and lab markers reported as increased, decreased, or associated with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.

Other associated markers

0

No markers in this group.

Introduction / full article

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

ID 584

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Cannabis (Marijuana, weed, hemp) [1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Evidence shows that smoking or ingesting cannabis may help in relieving symptoms of pain, although some studies have yielded mixed results)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Chaparral (Larrea Tridentata Coville [1, 2, 3, 4]:

Please note, this herb is HIGHLY TOXIC, and has been reported to cause severe and permanent liver disease which can be fatal.

Recommendation: Strongly against (Existing evidence shows that Chaparral is not an effective treatment for complex regional pain syndrome. In addition, this herb is highly toxic and potentially life threatening.)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Black Cohosh (cimicifuga Racemosa):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that Black Cohosh helps to treat symptoms of pain in any way. Studies have yielded mixed results)

Grade of Evidence: Moderate quality of evidence

Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is not enough evidence supporting the role of TENS in chronic pain therapy)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Reflexology:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (A conrolled study showed that Reflexology may help some people with chronic pain for a maximum of three hours, but shows no effect after that)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Polarity Therapy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly  help with the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (available research does not show that Polarity Therapy might help reduce pain)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Osteopathy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly  help with the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (Available scientific evidence does not support Osteopathy as helpful alone in chronic pain)

Grade of Evidence: Low quality of evidence

Low-Level Laser Therapy:

Recommendation: No recommendation (There have been ambiguous results on the few studies done investigating the effect of laser therapy on pain)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

 

Summary References


Treatments:


1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2005/2005_135-eng.php

3. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1

4. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/chaparral

5. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/marijuana.html

6. http://nccam.nih.gov/research/extramural/awards/2004/

7. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/marijuana

8. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/treatments/complementary--alternative-medicine/marijuana/index.aspx

9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16957511

10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12965981

11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17589370

12. http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/6/11/2921.long

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2562334/?tool=pmcentrez 

 

 

Use this information wisely

Use this page to understand terms and prepare better questions for a doctor, pharmacist, or other qualified health professional. If symptoms are severe, sudden, worsening, or worrying, seek urgent medical care.