Common signs of CRPS
Severe pain out of proportion to the original injury; increased skin sensitivity, where even light touch can hurt; swelling; changes in skin temperature or colour; unusual sweating or dryness of the skin; changes in nail or hair growth; and, over time, stiffness or difficulty moving the limb. Pain can be constant or come and go.
Two types
Type I occurs without a specific nerve injury and is the most common; Type II follows damage to a specific nerve.
Why tracking helps
HealthyWA notes CRPS can be difficult to diagnose early. Dated notes about pain, sensitivity, swelling and skin changes give your GP or pain specialist more to go on than memory alone.
What to track
Pain level and type (burning, stabbing, aching); where it is and whether it's spreading; sensitivity to touch or temperature; swelling, colour or temperature changes (photos can help); what you were doing beforehand; what helped; medications and any changes.
Getting support
Speak with your GP or pain specialist. painHEALTH, developed by WA Health and Australian universities, has a CRPS pain management module.
How WellNest helps
Log pain severity, location, pain type, triggers, relief methods and notes, keep medications in the same timeline and export a PDF report. See the CRPS tracker and the chronic pain diary.
This guide is general information based on the sources below. It isn't medical advice – follow the plan and advice from your own doctor.
Sources
Chris built WellNest after years of managing his own chronic health conditions and juggling scattered notes between appointments.