One of the most difficult aspects of chronic pain management is that sometimes, the cause of pain is completely unknown. The Pain Center of Arizona is proud to work with only double board certified pain management doctors who are well-trained and well-educated in the subtleties of chronic pain care. They understand that pain is a very individual experience, and that just because the cause of pain is not clearly seen does not mean that the patient isn't experiencing a very real set of painful symptoms.

Complex regional pain syndrome is often shortened to the acronym CRPS and may also be known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, or RSD. A chronic and painful condition, CRPS affects more than 75,000 Americans, but has no known or determinable cause. CRPS causes a burning pain that radiates to a larger area, and will cause a severely painful reaction that is not expected with the type of injury sustained. For example, a small cut on the tip of the finger would be considerably minor to someone in good health, but for an individual with CRPS, that small cut would radiate a burning pain that traveled up the arm and could be excruciating.

While there is no known cause for CRPS, many experts have theories and plausible ideas for how CRPS may come about. It is thought that an injury that did not heal properly may be a contributor, or nerve damage that spread instead of healing also may be a cause. However, known cause or not, those with CRPS suffer many difficult days with their painful condition.

The Pain Center of Arizona offers a multidisciplinary program that can offer patients a combination of treatments. For someone with CRPS, this is especially beneficial, as often, one treatment or therapy will not be sufficient for pain relief. Each pain doctor at The Pain Center of Arizona is able to perform minimally invasive procedures at their Pain Center location. This is advantageous for CRPS patients as nerve blocks have shown to be beneficial in blocking some of the pain perception to the brain. The Pain Center of Arizona pain specialists are also on the cutting edge of pain management and are uniquely trained to use the spinal cord stimulator (SCS) with their patients, known by many experts as the "pacemaker" for pain. This device is implanted into the body, and leads are placed strategically near the spinal cord. These leads deliver pulses to the brain that will interrupt the pain signals as they travel. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) technology has proved extremely efficacious in treating CRPS pain.

As of yet, there is no cure for CRPS. However, the pain management doctors at The Pain Center of Arizona have made it their priority to increase the functioning and quality of living for those with CRPS. This includes a comprehensive pain management program to help CRPS patients live their lives with as little pain as possible.

If you suffer from chronic pain due to any condition or injury, find hope at The Pain Center of Arizona! Our dedicated team of board certified pain management physicians will work with you to treat your pain, increase your functionality and quality of life, and get you back into life! We have locations across Arizona, including Phoenix, Anthem, Surprise, Mesa, Gilbert, Deer Valley, Paradise Valley and the Biltmore area. We take multiple insurance plans; click here to see if we take yours! To make an appointment and take the first step toward getting back into life, call us today at 1-888-PAINCENTER. We hope to see you soon!

The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.

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