Case of the Month #37: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome by Dr Sunil Dasari

Published: 26/03/2024

Overview

A 45-year-old male patient attended his GP practice after he had an injury to his foot while doing work in the garden. He ignored this initially as he felt it was not a serious injury. He noticed that, with time, the pain became progressively worse, with changes in colour and swelling. He described the pain as a shooting, ache-like sensation, combined with a burning sensation. It was at its worst upon weight bearing. Touching the area triggered pain that was so severe, he stopped wearing socks. The foot was cold to the touch in comparison to the other foot. His GP had started him on Amitriptyline and referred him to a pain clinic for further management. The pain had become so severe that he was now inquiring about having an amputation to relieve him of the pain.