Diagnosis and Pharmacological Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Author:
Sung Joon CHUNG
1
Author Information
- Publication Type:Review Article
- From: Clinical Pain 2025;24(1):62-67
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a multifactorial chronic pain disorder characterized by disproportionately severe regional pain accompanied by a range of sensory, vasomotor, sudomotor, motor, and trophic abnormalities. Diagnostic clarity has improved with the adoption of the Budapest criteria, which emphasize the distribution of symptoms and signs across four domains, significantly enhancing specificity and sensitivity compared to earlier definitions. However, due to considerable heterogeneity between patients and across the course of the disease, establishing a uniform treatment strategy difficult to achieve. Pharmacologic management remains challenging due to the lack of high-quality randomized controlled trials, the complex pathophysiology of CRPS, and the variability in patient responses. This review synthesizes the latest evidence on diagnostic approaches and pharmacological treatments for CRPS. No single medication has been proven effective for all patients; rather, targeted pharmacotherapy based on individual symptom profiles, combined with interdisciplinary rehabilitation, is considered the most effective therapeutic approach.
