Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2008 , Vol 54 , Num 3

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1: General Clinical Approach

Demet Ofluoğlu 1 ,Gülseren Akyüz 2
1 Başkent Üniverstesi Tıp Fakültesi İstanbul Hastanesi, İstanbul, Türkiye
2 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

“Complex regional pain syndrome type I” is now considered preferable to term “reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome”. It is a complex chronic pain disorder. There is usually a preceding noxious event. The most characteristic clinical feature is spontaneous pain with allodinia or hyperalgesia. Other symptoms include edema, vasomotor and sudomotor abnormalities and trophic changes. The diagnosis is based on the clinical symptoms and sings. The main treatment concept is pharmacotherapy coupled with functional restoration, and interdisciplinary approaches to treatment are essential to a successful outcome. 

Keywords : Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, Complex regional pain syndrome, Sudeck’s atrophy, neuropathic pai