Many patients will consult the internet and may get worried by what they read. Follow the European Task Force standards for the diagnosis of CRPS, which are listed below:
Patients, and where appropriate their relatives and carers must receive adequate information soon after diagnosis. The typically-benign prognosis should be emphasised. Information should include:
i) CRPS its causation (including the limits of current scientific knowledge)
ii) CRPS its natural course
iii) CRPS signs and symptoms, including body perception abnormalities
iv) CRPS typical outcomes
v) CRPS treatment options
Emphasis should be put on the goals of treatment and on the patient’s active involvement in the treatment plan. Further patient information, and information on how to explain CRPS to patients is availableĀ here.