FK Action Project for Disease Unit#1 " CRPS So Painful it's Ridiculous"

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Hello reader, this is my action project for a class I am in called Disease. In this course my class and I are learning about the functions and malfunctions of the human body. For this action project I chose a disease that's affected my life, whether that be a disease I have or a disease someone in my life struggles with. The disease I chose is called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS for short.Enjoy!


Simplified diagram of nervous system:




Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), is a non - communicable disease that affects the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system.The parasympathetic nervous system is the part of the nervous system that controls involuntary action of our nervous system such as blinking, breathing, etc. The disease is caused by damage to a nerve. In my diagram you can see I listed the Intercostal nerve, the Tibial nerve, and the Radial nerve. I listed these three nerves because they are the most commonly affected by CRPS. Almost always CRPS is caused by catastrophic physical injuries and/ or surgeries gone wrong. The characteristics of CRPS are extreme swelling, pain, redness, and Eldaina. Eldaina is a form of extreme redness and inflammation that can appear like an allergic reaction. Although CRPS is not a genetic disease, people who are most prone to getting it are people with connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers Danlos or Marfan's syndrome. Ehlers Danlos is connective tissue disorder that prevents a person from absorbing collagen properly, which can result in weak nails, weak bone structure, and possibly a precursor to celiacs.


In general, CRPS is hard to diagnose. Type 1 is almost always diagnosed by isolating factors. However, type 2 can be diagnosed via EMG. According to a Johns Hopkins article, EMG ( electromyography) measures muscle response to electrical signaling of nerves and detects abnormalities in them.


I created a fictional patient profile based off an interview I did with a person who suffers from CRPS. In order to keep their identity private they will use a fictional name. This is the patient profile of Marry.


Regulating the disease is different for everyone who has it. But Mary's way of regulating CRPS is ketamine infusions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and meditation. " I've had many rounds of ketamine infusions. I've also had an implanted spinal cord stimulator. I've done extensive physical therapy and occupational therapy. I did a week of boot camp at the Shirley Ryan ability lab in Chicago. I found that meditation, mindfulness, and exercise are the best treatments for this condition." Marry felt relieved when she was diagnosed because it explained why she felt these unbearable symptoms. "Relieved because at least it was an explanation to the incredible pain and redness". Marry got CRPS from a surgery she needed because she was in a car accident serving as a police officer. During the surgery she had her Tibial nerve cut. " I acquired CRPS during a surgery that I needed after I was involved in a car accident while working as a police officer". Mary's life forever changed. She spent several months in the hospital and had many surgeries. She could not undergo proper treatment because it was expensive and not insured. Mary felt defeated. "It changed my life in so many ways. I spent nearly 6 months at the hospital in and out after multiple surgeries. It was difficult to get diagnosed because the treatments were expensive and not covered by insurance. It reduced me to basically physical rubble."


Living with CRPS sounds like a real pain ( pun intended). But even with all this on their back the person I interviewed still does amazing things. They managed to run a 37 mile ultra marathon. No matter how painful or deadly the disease, if you are strong enough and dedicated enough you can do way more than you think you can.





Citations ( MLA format):

Cannon, J. (2018, January 25). What is EMG? Johns Hopkins Hospital. Retrieved January 21, 2022, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/emg_lab/electromyography.html#:~:text=Electromyography%20(EMG)%20is%20a%20procedure,the%20skin%20into%20the%20muscle.

Kerin , F. (2022, January 18). CRPS Interview . personal.

Kerin, Frankie “ Simplified Nervous System” 1/23/22

Pierre, Larousse, Augé, & Claude. (2018). An antique illustration of a human nervous system and muscular system (1900) by Larousse, Pierre; Augé and Claude. Digitally enhanced from our own original plate. WordPress.org. Creative Commons . Retrieved January 21, 2022, from https://wordpress.org/openverse/photos/c88a1ea9-405c-45c6-8a09-6767b70083c0.

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