Over the last seven years, the one thing that Rising Phoenix has come to notice as a big problem, is that patients are not given a guidebook on how to live or even survive with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome after their diagnosis. Which leaves a lot of patients confused, un-properly supported, and with their fists shaking at the sky.
Rising Phoenix CRPS understands this battle more than can be explained with words. Our goal is to help alleviate some of that confusion, lack of support, and despair.
In this section, we will be exploring the basic understanding of what this disease entails and the physical changes going on within the body. We will explain and discuss the complex involvement throughout our bodies with this very "interesting" nerve disease. And how that can display in symptoms, complications, and human body responses.
Chances are if you are still reading this website, and exploring, you already have a basic connection and/or understanding of what Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is; in regard to the symptoms, complications, and constant management.
But what Rising Phoenix CRPS would like to do is help educate you on the basic understanding of what is happening within your body and why.
Rising Phoenix CRPS understands this battle more than can be explained with words. Our goal is to help alleviate some of that confusion, lack of support, and despair.
In this section, we will be exploring the basic understanding of what this disease entails and the physical changes going on within the body. We will explain and discuss the complex involvement throughout our bodies with this very "interesting" nerve disease. And how that can display in symptoms, complications, and human body responses.
Chances are if you are still reading this website, and exploring, you already have a basic connection and/or understanding of what Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is; in regard to the symptoms, complications, and constant management.
But what Rising Phoenix CRPS would like to do is help educate you on the basic understanding of what is happening within your body and why.
So one might ask, what is physically going on in the body after a CRPS diagnosis....
After an injury, the body launches a healing response called Inflammation. Inflammation involves the release of chemicals that cause swelling and pain to help heal and protect the area.
Although in CRPS patients, the healing process gets out of control and doesn't know how to Stop, leading to excessive swelling and continued pain. This process then begins to change the nerves in the injured area, spinal cord, and in the brain.
Once CRPS sets in, these nerve changes, continue or keep those symptoms on an everlasting loop. Thus leading to daily complications and furthering symptoms which you have probably come to recognize and understand as CRPS itself.
This is typically why treatment is primarily focused on calming and healing the nerves, which can help reduce and potentially eliminate furthering of symptoms in CRPS patients.
Although in CRPS patients, the healing process gets out of control and doesn't know how to Stop, leading to excessive swelling and continued pain. This process then begins to change the nerves in the injured area, spinal cord, and in the brain.
Once CRPS sets in, these nerve changes, continue or keep those symptoms on an everlasting loop. Thus leading to daily complications and furthering symptoms which you have probably come to recognize and understand as CRPS itself.
This is typically why treatment is primarily focused on calming and healing the nerves, which can help reduce and potentially eliminate furthering of symptoms in CRPS patients.
What are the three major physical changes that occur with crps:
~ Inflammation
~ Immune Response
~ Nerve Changes/Damage
~ Immune Response
~ Nerve Changes/Damage
What is inflammation:
Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury, infection, or other threats. It's a defensive process that involves the immune system releasing white blood cells and chemicals to fight off invaders and heal damaged tissue.
There are two main types of inflammation: acute and chronic.
Acute inflammation:
An injury or illness can involve acute, or short-term, inflammation.
There are five key signs of acute inflammation:
These signs are not always present. Sometimes inflammation is “silent,” without symptoms. A person may also feel tired, generally unwell, and have a fever.
Symptoms of acute inflammation last a few days. Subacute inflammation lasts 2–6 weeks
Chronic inflammation:
A chronic or long term inflammation can develop if a person has:
Chronic inflammation is a gradual process that can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
There are two main types of inflammation: acute and chronic.
Acute inflammation:
An injury or illness can involve acute, or short-term, inflammation.
There are five key signs of acute inflammation:
- Pain: This may occur continuously or only when a person touches the affected area.
- Redness: This happens because of an increase in the blood supply to the capillaries in the area.
- Loss of function: There may be difficulty moving a joint, breathing, sensing smell, and so on.
- Swelling: A condition called edema can develop if fluid builds up.
- Heat: Increased blood flow may leave the affected area warm to the touch.
These signs are not always present. Sometimes inflammation is “silent,” without symptoms. A person may also feel tired, generally unwell, and have a fever.
Symptoms of acute inflammation last a few days. Subacute inflammation lasts 2–6 weeks
Chronic inflammation:
A chronic or long term inflammation can develop if a person has:
- Sensitivity: Inflammation happens when the body senses something that should not be there. Hypersensitivity to an external trigger can result in an allergy.
- Exposure: Sometimes, long-term, low-level exposure to an irritant, such as an industrial chemical, can result in chronic inflammation.
- Autoimmune disorders: The immune system mistakenly attacks normal healthy tissue, as in psoriasis.
- Neuorinflammatory diseases: inflammation of the nervous tissue, such as CRPS
- Persistent acute inflammation: In some cases, a person may not fully recover from acute inflammation. Sometimes, this can lead to chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is a gradual process that can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
- Frequent infections: Getting sick often, especially from viruses
- Brain fog: Difficulty thinking and memory problems
- Fever: Unexplained fever
- Swollen lymph nodes: Painful or swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin
- Headaches: Headaches can be a sign of chronic inflammation
- Body pain: Aches and pains in muscles, joints, tendons, and the abdomen
- Fatigue: Chronic fatigue and sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea
- Weight change: Unexplained weight gain or loss
- Skin issues: Rashes like psoriasis, mouth sores, and other skin changes
- Digestive issues: Constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, and other gastrointestinal issues
- Mood changes: Anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders
What is immune response:
Immune systems, everyone has one. Most people live with a fairly decent immune system. But those living with CRPS, will typically live with an overactive immune system.
Meaning your immune system may react too strongly to invaders (real or perceived). It may even mount an attack when there's no invader at all. Or it could simply not stop attacking after getting rid of the invader.
Which is where the immune response comes in.
A normal immune response is as follows:
1. Recognition of the antigen
2. Activation of immune cells
3. Production of antibodies
4. Elimination of the threat
5. Memory cell formation
In CRPS, immune response is characterized by an amplified and persistent, inflammatory reaction, where the bodies immune system overreacts to an injury, leading to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha and IL-6 causing symptoms like redness, swelling, and changes in the skin temperature. (Also known as an overactive immune response)
If your immune system is working overtime, you may have one or more of these symptoms:
Meaning your immune system may react too strongly to invaders (real or perceived). It may even mount an attack when there's no invader at all. Or it could simply not stop attacking after getting rid of the invader.
Which is where the immune response comes in.
A normal immune response is as follows:
1. Recognition of the antigen
2. Activation of immune cells
3. Production of antibodies
4. Elimination of the threat
5. Memory cell formation
In CRPS, immune response is characterized by an amplified and persistent, inflammatory reaction, where the bodies immune system overreacts to an injury, leading to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha and IL-6 causing symptoms like redness, swelling, and changes in the skin temperature. (Also known as an overactive immune response)
If your immune system is working overtime, you may have one or more of these symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Unexplained fever
- Unexplained weight loss
- Drenching night sweats
- Itchy skin
- Sore, aching muscles
- Fingers or toes that tingle or are numb
- Trouble focusing
- Hair loss
- Rashes or redness anywhere on your body
- Swollen lymph nodes
What are nerve changes and/or damage:
Your nervous system is involved in everything your body does, from managing your breathing to controlling your muscles and sensing heat and cold. Nerves carry sensations of pain or pleasure from your body to your brain.
Because nerves are essential to all you do, nerve pain and damage can seriously affect your quality of life.
The central nervous system is made up of nerves in your spinal cord and brain. Peripheral nerves travel beyond your spinal cord and brain to the rest of your body.
There are three types of nerves in the body:
Autonomic nerves. These nerves control the involuntary or partially voluntary activities of your body, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and temperature regulation.
Motor nerves. These nerves control your movements and actions by passing information from your brain and spinal cord to your muscles.
Sensory nerves. These nerves relay information from your skin and muscles back to your spinal cord and brain. The information is then processed to let you feel pain and other sensations.
Types of nerve damage:
Peripheral neuropathy: Most common type, affecting nerves in the extremities.
Autonomic neuropathy: Affects nerves controlling involuntary functions like heart rate, digestion, and sweating.
Motor neuropathy: Primarily affects muscle movement.
Sensory neuropathy: Primarily affects sensation.
Nerve Damage Symptoms:
With nerve damage , there can be a wide array of symptoms. Which ones you may have depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Damage can occur to nerves in your brain and spinal cord. It can also occur in the peripheral nerves, which are throughout the rest of your body.
Symptoms of peripheral nerve damage:
Tingling
Numbness
Pain
Weakness
Loss of balance
Symptoms of autonomic nerve damage:
Not being able to sense chest pain, such as that caused by angina or a heart attack
Too much sweating (known as hyperhidrosis) or too little sweating (known as anhidrosis)
Lightheadedness
Dry eyes and mouth
Constipation
Bladder dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction
Symptoms of motor nerve damage
Symptoms of motor nerve damage:
Weakness
Muscle atrophy
Twitching, also known as fasciculation
Paralysis
Symptoms of sensory nerve damage
Symptoms of sensory nerve damage:
Pain
Sensitivity
Numbness
Tingling or prickling
Burning
Problems with positional awareness (knowing what's around you and your position in a particular space)
In some instances, people with nerve damage will have symptoms that indicate damage to two, or even three, types of nerves. For instance, you might have weakness and burning in your legs at the same time.
Because nerves are essential to all you do, nerve pain and damage can seriously affect your quality of life.
The central nervous system is made up of nerves in your spinal cord and brain. Peripheral nerves travel beyond your spinal cord and brain to the rest of your body.
There are three types of nerves in the body:
Autonomic nerves. These nerves control the involuntary or partially voluntary activities of your body, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and temperature regulation.
Motor nerves. These nerves control your movements and actions by passing information from your brain and spinal cord to your muscles.
Sensory nerves. These nerves relay information from your skin and muscles back to your spinal cord and brain. The information is then processed to let you feel pain and other sensations.
Types of nerve damage:
Peripheral neuropathy: Most common type, affecting nerves in the extremities.
Autonomic neuropathy: Affects nerves controlling involuntary functions like heart rate, digestion, and sweating.
Motor neuropathy: Primarily affects muscle movement.
Sensory neuropathy: Primarily affects sensation.
Nerve Damage Symptoms:
With nerve damage , there can be a wide array of symptoms. Which ones you may have depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Damage can occur to nerves in your brain and spinal cord. It can also occur in the peripheral nerves, which are throughout the rest of your body.
Symptoms of peripheral nerve damage:
Tingling
Numbness
Pain
Weakness
Loss of balance
Symptoms of autonomic nerve damage:
Not being able to sense chest pain, such as that caused by angina or a heart attack
Too much sweating (known as hyperhidrosis) or too little sweating (known as anhidrosis)
Lightheadedness
Dry eyes and mouth
Constipation
Bladder dysfunction
Sexual dysfunction
Symptoms of motor nerve damage
Symptoms of motor nerve damage:
Weakness
Muscle atrophy
Twitching, also known as fasciculation
Paralysis
Symptoms of sensory nerve damage
Symptoms of sensory nerve damage:
Pain
Sensitivity
Numbness
Tingling or prickling
Burning
Problems with positional awareness (knowing what's around you and your position in a particular space)
In some instances, people with nerve damage will have symptoms that indicate damage to two, or even three, types of nerves. For instance, you might have weakness and burning in your legs at the same time.