Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review of Current Understanding and Management Strategies

Abstract Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a challenging clinical condition characterized by disproportionate and persistent pain accompanied by sensory, motor, and autonomic alterations. This review addresses current aspects of CRPS, including classification, pathophysiology, and therapeutic approaches. This intricate disease impacts patients' quality of life, affecting physical functions and psychosocial aspects. Diagnosis is primarily clinical, based on the Budapest Criteria. CRPS treatment requires a multidisciplinary and stepped approach, starting with conservative therapies such as pharmacotherapy, physiotherapy, and psychological interventions. In refractory cases, interventional techniques such as sympathetic system blocks, spinal cord stimulation, and surgical approaches may be considered. Treatment efficacy is closely linked to early diagnosis and timely intervention. Recent advances in understanding the underlying mechanisms of CRPS, including the role of the immune system and pro-inflammatory cytokines, have opened new perspectives for targeted therapies. Here, we reviewed the pivotal benefits of an individualized and multifaceted approach in CRPS management, aiming at the improvement of treatment strategies and clinical outcomes.