Definition: CRPS, or complex regional pain syndrome, is another term for reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). CRPS is a chronic pain condition that causes swelling, redness and pain, usually in the hands and/or feet. The cause of CRPS is a bit of a mystery, though it may be a result of dysfunction either in the sympathetic nervous system (neuropathic pain) or the immune system. CRPS may also be triggered by other conditions, such as stroke.
More on how the nervous system detects pain.
Also Known As: RSD, reflex sympathetic dystrophy
