In BC Canada worksafebc (wbc) uses these guidelines to diagnose complex regional pain syndrome.

1. The patient must have continuing pain that is disproportionate to
any inciting event.

2. The patient must report at least one symptom in at least three out of
the following four categories in the affected extremity:

• Sensory: reports of hyperesthesia
• Vasomotor: reports of temperature asymmetry and/or skin
colour changes and/or skin colour asymmetry
• Sudomotor/edema: reports of edema (with or without joint
stiffness) 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 (nails, hair, skin)

3. The patient must display at least one sign in two or more of
the following categories in the affected extremity:

• Sensory: evidence of hyperalgesia (to pinprick) or allodynia
(to light touch)
• Vasomotor: evidence of temperature asymmetry and/or skin
color changes and/or asymmetry
• Sudomotor/edema: objective evidence of edema (with or
without joint stiffness) and/or sweating changes and/or
sweating asymmetry
• Motor/trophic: evidence of decreased range of motion
(including joint stiffness) and/or motor dysfunction and/or
trophic changes