I'm terribly sorry to hear of your shabby treatment and the lack of medical care where you live. I'm quite shocked to read all you have gone through. You are very brave and I truly hope you find the right team to start helping you. Below I've listed (along with the link to the PDF) the criteria for diagnosis which is currently being used internationally.
Budapest diagnostic criteria for diagnosing CRPS.
General definition of the syndrome:
CRPS describes an array of painful conditions that are characterized by a continuing (spontaneous and/or evoked) regional pain that is
seemingly disproportionate in time or degree to the usual course of any known trauma or other lesion. The pain is regional (not in a specific
nerve territory or dermatome) and usually has a distal predominance of abnormal sensory, motor, sudomotor, vasomotor, and/or trophic
findings. The syndrome shows variable progression over time
To make the clinical diagnosis, the following criteria must be met:
1. Continuing pain, which is disproportionate to any inciting event
2. Must report at least one symptom in three of the four following categories:
- Sensory: Reports of hyperesthesia and/or allodynia
- Vasomotor:Reports of temperature asymmetry and/or skin color changes and/or skin color asymmetry
- Sudomotor/ Edema: Reports of edema and/or sweating changes and/or sweating asymmetry
- Motor/Trophic: Reports of decreased range of motion and/or motor dysfunction (weakness, tremor, dystonia) and/or trophic changes (hair, nail, skin)
3. Must display at least one sign at time of evaluation in two or more of the following categories:
- Sensory:Evidence of hyperalgesia (to pinprick) and/or allodynia (to light touch and/or temperature sensation and/or deep somatic pressure and/or joint movement)
- Vasomotor:Evidence of temperature asymmetry (>1°C) and/or skin color changes and/or asymmetry
- Sudomotor/Edema: Evidence of edema and/or sweating changes and/or sweating asymmetry
- Motor/Trophic: Evidence of decreased range of motion and/or motor dysfunction (weakness, tremor, dystonia) and/or trophic changes (hair, nail, skin)
4. There is no other diagnosis that better explains the signs and symptoms.
For research purposes, diagnostic decision rule should be at least one symptom in all four symptom categories and at least one sign (observed at evaluation) in two or more sign categories.
I've been away from the forum for sometime but recently returned to explore ketamine infusion options. I have continued for years now with lidocaine infusions along with patches as a main source of pain control.I'm seeing new doctors at a pain clinic and need to discuss if I should stay on this treatment or consiider alternatives.
Much love to you all.