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Posted , 8 users are following.

kim46140
kim46140

I had rotator cuff surgery Dec.of 2016. My arm was in a sling for 6 weeks. The first day of physical therapy. My therapist said I had crps. My hand was very swollen. My ortho dr. Says it was not crps. The therapist says he's in denial. I have had NO pain. Just swelling in my hand. Plus stiff joints. I can't close my hand all the way. I was just checking to get opinions. Thank you

1 like, 24 replies

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  • tamara5050
    tamara5050 kim46140

    Posted

    My understanding is that the diagnosis of crps is made using the Budapest diagnotistic criteria. There are many symptoms that 'may' be present, but pain is that defining feature of CRPS. with that said, I would be nervous about doing physio with someone who believes you have CRPS. the treatments would be VERY different than the treatments used for normal injuries, and may hold back your progress. 

    • kim46140
      kim46140 tamara5050

      Posted

      Hi, Tamara. I have read that you can have crps without pain. Have you heard this?
  • Struggling50
    Struggling50 kim46140

    Posted

    Hello.

    Pain, it is bad pain, is definitely present in CRPS. I've never heard of a case of CRPS where pain wasn't present.

    Tamara has a point. CRPS therapy is different than conventional physical therapy.

    Can you get a second opinion from a different Dr? Can you see a different physical therapist?

    • kim46140
      kim46140 Struggling50

      Posted

      Iam finished with pt. I have been released from the dr. He always said he didn't think I had crps, but my pt did. It certainly looked like crps. My was hand was swollen up like a balloon. Its still seollen a bit. My joints are still stiff, in my hand. At the end of each day, my hand looks like a prune. I guess my swelling had gone down.

    • kim46140
      kim46140

      Posted

      Sorry for typos
    • Struggling50
      Struggling50 kim46140

      Posted

      Hi.

      If it is CRPS you are SO lucky that you don't have the pain of CRPS.

      Is is so incredibly painful!!!!!!

      I would just keep using your hand as you normally would. That will get rid of the stiffness and swelling.

      Tracy

    • kim46140
      kim46140 Struggling50

      Posted

      Thank you, I use it like normal. I just can't make a full fist, the stiffness is the worst of it. I am so sorry for y'alls pain. You are all in my prayers daily. It's been almost 11 months since my surgery. I had to have another surgery in May to remove scar tissue. So 6 months since my 2nd one. Which helped greatly with the pt for my rotator cuff surgery. My pt. Treated me for crps plus my surgery.

  • david80207
    david80207 kim46140

    Posted

    I too was diagnosed with crps in my hand by my hand surgeon and I do not have pain. I had several of the other symptoms, but not pain. Seven months after surgery I went to a pain specialist and was told I do not have Crps, or at least if I did it was very minimal. He said without pain or hurting to the touch that I had local nerve damage. He put me on gabapentin and will go back in three months. At this point I don,t know what to think. I still have stiffness, excess sweating In that hand and spotty color.It is an ongoing horror show.
    • kim46140
      kim46140 david80207

      Posted

      Oh gosh, it's so strange maybe I have nerve damage also. Thank you for your reply. I have swelling, did have color changes but that has stopped. Now just the stiffness bothers me.

    • Struggling50
      Struggling50 kim46140

      Posted

      Hi.

      I have CRPS Type 2 in my right foot and ankle and leg. The worst of the pain was in my right foot.

      Type 2 CRPS involves a definite nerve injury. My nerve injury was detected through nerve tests done by a neurologist.

      CRPS is a neurological and autoimmune disease.

      It involves the brain and spinal cord and nervous system.

      Lesions on the brain have been found in people who have full body CRPS.

      I also had bad swelling, discoloration, spasms, stunted nail and hair growth on that foot & calf, the skin turned dry & shiny, stiffness, intense temperature changes from hot to cold & pale, sleep problems.

      I was on crutches for a year.

      The pain was SO SO bad. Sometimes a 9 or 10.

    • kim46140
      kim46140 Struggling50

      Posted

      Bless your heart! I will be putting your name in our prayer box at church. Bless you. I just took the word of the pt. She had worked with someone before with it. I done all the exercises for someone with crps. 3 days a week for 6 months. That was because my shoulder was not progressing properly because of the scar tissue. Someone with rotator cuff surgery usually is only in pt 2 months.
    • Struggling50
      Struggling50 kim46140

      Posted

      Thanks for your prayers. I will pray It was for the best you did the CRPS therapy. Better safe than sorry.

      I hope and pray you get full mobility back in your hand arm & shoulder.

      Take care:-)

      Gentle hugs.

      Tracy

    • Struggling50
      Struggling50

      Posted

      Sorry. It should read, " I will pray for you too. It was for the best you did therapy for CRPS. Better safe than sorry." :-)

  • brenda_savvy
    brenda_savvy kim46140

    Posted

    In crps one of the criteria is pain. If you don’t have pain no crps. Sounds like nerve damage maybe.  

    Are you treating it ? 

    I would try get some another opinion.  

    Do more PT

    Use it. Exercise it as much as you can without causing more issues. 

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