Natural Treatments Studied for CRPS

CRPS, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is typically caused when a person experiences some kind of physical trauma, or after surgery. There is no one kind of surgery or trauma that can cause CRPS, but the consistent part is that CRPS sufferers are dealing with chronic pain that affects their daily lives and can be very difficult to function with. It can happen as a result of big or small tissue damage, including after sprains, fractures, spinal cord injuries or many other physical problems.

Magnesium

You will find some online sources indicating that taking magnesium as a supplement will help CRPS. This is something to be discussed with your doctor, and you should always make sure that it is okay for you to take any particular supplement and that you only take as much as directed. Studies have been done on magnesium that show that intravenous application of magnesium significantly helped pain levels and improved quality of life of CRPS sufferers.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C we know well as something we need to take, especially if we don’t get enough citrus or other foods in our diet. There are conditions that can arise from a lack of vitamin C, but one of the positives of using it is that it can potentially reduce inflammation. Any healthy option that can reduce inflammation in the body should have the potential to reduce pain. CRPS sufferers are typically dealing with inflammation all the time, so looking into a vitamin C supplement may help.

Epsom Salts

Studies have been done on the potential of Epsom salts to reduce pain from CRPS, and you will find many websites that claim that it has such properties. The studies that have been done on this use of Epsom salts, though, are inconclusive, meaning new studies would have to prove that they have this effect. Epsom salts are generally considered to be soothing and may generally help with pain, but that will be judged on an individual basis.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the application of small needles to the skin in parts intended to connect to certain nerves that determine our pain levels. Acupuncture’s promise is considerable, as some studies seem to show that pain from CRPS is reduced, and bodily function improves, and the impact seems to be relatively long-lasting.

Bee Venom

In one particular case of a CRPS sufferer who had surgery on several toes, a study was done on the controlled application of bee venom to treat the CRPS. This is obviously a single case and highly experimental, but the patient did go from a pain rating of 8 out of 10 to 0 out of 10 after treatment with bee venom.

Any natural treatment shouldn’t be looked at as a cure, or to have any guaranteed effect on your CRPS. Each case will be different, as each person’s biology is different. It would be best to discuss with your doctor whether or not any of these natural treatments would or could work for your particular

Author
Maryland Pain & Wellness

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