Hi Hope4.

I am not a doctor, but my experience has been that more or less medication does not make much difference regarding the spread of CRPS. I have experienced CRPS spread both off and on medication, and at low and high levels of medication.

I think what is more important, if it’s possible, is making sure to correct whatever initiated the CRPS. For me, I had a crushed nerve that remained in an agitated state for a long period of time. Had I been able to correct the agitation sooner I may have had more success treating and reversing the CRPS. By the time I had corrective surgery the CRPS was already well entrenched and spreading. Of course depending on each situation, surgery or other correction may not apply.

I think properly monitored exercise is more beneficial for preventing CRPS spread than medication or no medication. But if the source of agitation has not been corrected, then exercise will possibly worsen the CRPS. Meaning, the exercise I did before the corrective surgery only made it worse, the exercise I did after the corrective surgery was beneficial (although for me it was already too late to stop the CRPS spread).

Not relating to spread, some doctors I have seen have said that not medicating, and just taking the severe chronic pain, is not good because the constant pain overload can create other complications in the body. I don’t know if they all agree on that but at least some have said this to me. I guess it would depend on how severe the chronic pain is.

All of this is just my opinion based on my own experience. It is very possible that others may disagree having had different results in their CRPS experience. CRPS can be very different for each person.

I hope this was helpful. God Bless You.

Bernclay-