This is a question I encounter frequently. Unfortunately, in my experience, CRPS sufferers are often confused by or in disbelief at the answers provided by those treating them. So, much as I’m not a huge fan of statistics, I think it’s helpful to outline where clinicians garner their information from and put it into some form of context.
See also: Treatments for CRPS
The studies
It was as recent as 2006 that we saw the first wide-ranging, population-based study of CRPS published. That followed the analysis of the medical records of a whopping 600,000 people throughout the Netherlands. As a result, the incidence of CRPS in the general population is estimated at around 26 per 100,000 people, ie 26 new cases each year. And that’s significantly higher than previously thought.
Such widescale studies are rare, and the data gathered is invaluable. So, unsurprisingly, it prompted researchers to dive in further, resulting in the 2009 paper, Outcome of complex regional pain syndrome. In summary, its takeaway statistics are:
- 85% of patients will experience a “substantial” pain reduction in the first one to two years following the onset of CRPS.
- only 30% of patients consider themselves fully recovered even six years post-onset.
- only 40% of people who worked pre-onset return to their previous work.
- CRPS which does not improve early is less likely to improve later.
Now check out the NHS website, and you will understand their basis for saying “It’s estimated around 85% of people with CRPS slowly experience a reduction in their pain and some of their symptoms in the first 2 years”.
Remission of CRPS
In the context of CRPS, using the word ‘remission’ instead of ‘recovery’ is preferable. That’s because a recurrence remains possible even when somebody no longer has their original signs and symptoms. But yes, some people experience a remission of CRPS symptoms. Indeed, I have a colleague who developed CRPS many years ago following wrist surgery. Their signs and symptoms resolved within a few months and, fortunately, have never returned.
But for most people said to be in remission, some signs and/or symptoms of their CRPS remain. Their condition is better described as a ‘partial remission’ in this context. And maintaining that remission, whether full or partial, can take hard work involving lifestyle changes and a rigorous daily regime; therapies, medication, and activities to avoid.
At the other end of the spectrum are those who are many months or years post-onset, whose symptoms are entrenched and may even have spread elsewhere in the body. But most sufferers I encounter occupy the extensive middle ground, with little prospect of improvement. Whilst some can self-care, drive, and work (even if it’s just part-time), others are virtually housebound.
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