This is comprehensive review of CRPS. There are a couple of prevailing theories concerning the etiology of CRPS: Microvascular dysfunction v. small fiber neuropathy leading to pain centralization. You may find this paper helpful.

Cheers

The clinical picture of CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) is mainly characterized by a burning, intense spontaneous pain, mechanical allodynia of the affected limb, disorders of the skin, local increased hyperhidrosis, lymphedema as well as trophic disorders of the skin, bones and joints. The overall clinical appearance is dominated by a dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system.

One dominant hypothesis is, that major mechanism for CRPS symptoms, which might be present during the course of CRPS, are trauma-related cytokine release, exaggerated neurogenic inflammation, sympathetically maintained pain and cortical reorganisation in response to chronic pain.

Article [Inpatient treatment for CRPS I by use of complementary medicine].

I think both of the answers above are true.  I've had the unenviable experience of having multiple spinal fusion surgeries (5). Obviously trauma to the spinal cord by compression injury can be a major inducer of chronic neuropathic pain. Once it starts, it can be difficult if not impossible to stop.  

Yaron,

The best description and explanation of CRPS was by Nik Bogduk at the International Spine Intervention Society annual scientific meeting ~3-4 years ago.

You might contact ISIS directly and get a copy of the lecture.

In 30 yrs of treating CRPS, I have found sympathetic injections appear to work in some patients. It often takes quite a few.

Spinal cord stimulation is almost always effective with a trial of 1 week prior to perminent implantation. 

Yaron,

It is my understanding that the mechanisms underlying CRPS are still to be elucidated. For example, recent work points to a potential auto-immune mechanism. A person with substantial expertise in the field is David Clark at the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital in California. You may want to contact him directly.

Hi Yaron,

CRPS is one of the most difficult types of pain syndromes to manage in clinical setting.  It can be caused by any type of minor or major injury.  Furthermore, it can happen spontaneously.  There are several hypothesis about its pathophysiology/pathomechanism which remains unclear.  I would like to recommend my article in www.uptodate.com which I regularly update about this topic.  My articles focus on Etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, prevention and management of complex regional pain syndrome in adults.

Best wishes

In my experience in CRPS the psychological patient´s background  is crucial. The central mechanisms linked to the immunological and sympathetic nervous system might play a role. It´s necesary, specially  in a a young girl, to explore the personality traits and work in accordance to. Very important: reassure the patient. It´s the power of mind.!

Yaron, currently noone knows.

Ralf Baron and the European Research team are making inroads.   We should have an answer in the next 5 years.

Peripheral inflammation, neural inflammation, glial inflammation, gliopathy are all prime possibilities

Thank you everyone for the adding up for more clarity and knowledge concerning the CRPS

Following are the treatments and results for taking care of the 14 year old girl with CRPS in her left foot:

Background:

The symptoms started on august 2013 and it became worst because in hospitals they tried all kinds of things like to shut down the nerves using epidural pumps and steroids and nerves blockage in the spine by surgery. All efforts made it more severe.

We started to work in the end of December 2014 and we had 6 treatments the last direct treatment was in march 2015

The treatments used akk kinds of healing methods included the nerve system, the soul, influences from the family, direct healing, influences of animals from the past, influence from the kidney to the left leg (the injured one) with huge unbalance in blue (she has a twin sister born with 1 kidney), balance of the 12 pathways of the brain.

In February the swollen went down from most of the leg (not the foot where the injury was) but the unbearable pain was still there.

Later on after 2 month, after sending the questions in the site,  the pain was gone as the indication appeared to be in the last treatment in march.

It seems that many things were involved and there was a need to balance and enhance the energy in many systems in the complex (physical and energy parts) together with hydrotherapy and physiotherapy that supported the physical level. As well there was a need for nutrition balancing less milk, sugar, gluten, nightshade.

The results in this month are that the girl has no pain at all and she can walk by herself

She needs more physiotherapy and it seems she passed the stressful and danger of loosing her leg.

It is a mysterious way how the energy enhancement manifest and the mental and emotional healing and the new Metamorpohaza method can be so vast and incredible.

Every case is caused and influenced by the unique life that had the injury and solving is specific as well.

In this case it was tangible that the girl's twin sister that was born with one kidney weakend the ability to recover and it was solved by rebalancing and enhancing the weak blue energy between the kidney and the injured leg.

Part of the treatment was indirect and can be done from far.

In case there are more unsolved cases it might be possible to work from far using skype or phone.

It´s not usual to have the possibility to know the outcome of clinical case that has been reported to know the researchers´ opinion. Thank You ! One more time, we recognise the power of the mind.