Ketamine-Assisted Therapy: A New Paradigm for CRPS Treatment

Written for RSDSA by Benjamin Mati, MD – Owner & Medical Director of Horizon Healing

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a partially understood condition that can profoundly affect the physical, emotional, and spiritual quality of life of those who suffer from it. Anxiety and depression are often intertwined with myriad physical symptoms, creating a complex constellation of suffering.

While the standard of care involves a multimodal approach—ranging from neuropathic pain medications and nerve blocks to spinal cord stimulation—treatment failure remains very common. Ketamine has emerged as a medical whose unique properties show potential for treating both the physical and non-physical symptoms of CRPS.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is an FDA Schedule III medication, placing it in the same class as Tylenol with codeine. Known as a “dissociative anesthetic,” high doses temporarily reduce the brain’s awareness of the senses, creating a dissociation between mind and body.

Since the 1970s, it has been a staple in emergency medicine, anesthesia, and hospital medicine. It is considered so safe and effective that it is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Essential Medicines List for all health care systems. Since the late 1990s, research has shown it to be a rapid, effective, and safe therapy for depression, PTSD, anxiety, and pain disorders. While these uses are “off-label” (not officially sanctioned by the FDA), they are allowed and supported by studies indicating safety and efficacy.

How Does Ketamine Work?

The human brain is complex, and we are only beginning to understand how substances interact with consciousness. However, we know that Ketamine acts on many receptors and areas of the body and brain. One important action is as an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist which seems to do several things:

  • Releasing the Brakes: Essentially, it “takes the foot off the brakes,” stopping brain cells that usually inhibit activity and allowing specific brain cells to become more active.
  • New Connections: This increased activity can create new connections between brain areas. Ketamine stimulates the growth of brain cells and enhances neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change its structure and connections.
  • Network Reset: It appears to turn down activity in the “default mode network” while promoting connectivity elsewhere

For CRPS specifically, ketamine decreases the activity of inflammatory cells and pain centers in the brain, interrupting the feedback loops associated with pain interpretation.

Methods of Delivery

Ketamine can be delivered in several ways, each with unique characteristics regarding onset and depth of experience.

MethodAbsorptionSetting & Description
Intravenous (IV100% (Direct to vein)Medicalized Setting: Requires a tiny catheter, continuous vital sign monitoring, pumps, and tubing. Common in hospitals and pain clinics.
Intramuscular
(IM)		93%Therapeutic Setting: Injection into the muscle (usually the shoulder). No need for pumps or IVs, allowing for a more therapeutic environment.
Mucous
Membranes		25–30%Oral/Nasal: Absorbed through the mouth or nose. Requires a higher dose for a similar effect compared to IV.

Ketamine Therapy vs. Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT)

It is important to distinguish between two different models of care.

  • Ketamine Therapy (The Biomedical Model)
    • This model views ketamine primarily as a pharmacological intervention for “disorders”.
    • Focus: Treating symptoms and improving brain function
    • Limitations: It often assumes the mind and body are separate and may overlook social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions
    • Support: Often offered with minimal or no therapeutic support, and practitioners may lack specialized training in psychedelic-assisted therapy
  • Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT)
    • KAT draws from healing traditions that prioritize self-discovery and personal agency.
    • Focus: Ketamine is viewed not as a cure, but as a catalyst for accessing inner healing resources.
    • The Container: Providers are usually licensed professionals trained in creating a safe “container” for the experience.
    • The Process: Includes preparatory sessions to lay a foundation and integration sessions to help clients incorporate insights into daily life over weeks or months.

Ketamine for the CRPS

NMDA receptor overactivity is thought to play a key role in central sensitization, a process where the nervous system amplifies pain signals. By dampening this pathway, ketamine may help “reset” abnormal pain signaling. Current research suggests that ketamine therapy decreases pain symptoms in those suffering from severe CRPS. However, most studies focus on the biomedical IV model, using pain scores as the only endpoint.

Ketamine-Assisted Therapy seeks to meet patients where they are—addressing physical, emotional, psychological, and social symptoms simultaneously. While ketamine addresses physical symptoms, KAT does not hold that there is something to “fix”. Instead, it helps uncover new perspectives and reveal habitual ways of thinking. With the support of trained staff, KAT provides more than just medicine; it creates a holistic healing environment.

Learn More About the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome-Relief and Improvement Study for Efficacy

At RSDSA, we want to keep you updated on research that may help improve treatment and awareness of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). We are excited to share news about a new trial called CRPS-RISE (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome-Relief and Improvement Study for Efficacy).

What is CRPS-RISE?
CRPS-RISE is a clinical research trial testing an investigational medicine called neridronate. The trial will help researchers learn whether this medicine can help reduce pain in adults with CRPS Type 1 (CRPS-1). The trial is run by Ambros Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Irvine, California.

What is neridronate?
Neridronate is a bisphosphonate, a type of drug that affects how bones are formed and broken down. It is “investigational”, meaning it has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It can only be used in clinical trials like this one (except in Italy, where doctors already use it for CRPS-1). Because CRPS-1 is a rare disease and there are no approved medicines in the U.S., the FDA has given neridronate for CRPS three special designations: Orphan Drug, Breakthrough Therapy, and Fast Track. These designations mean that FDA recognizes the importance of developing treatments for CRPS.

Who Can Join?
CRPS-RISE will include about 270 adults who have CRPS-1. To join this clinical trial, you must:

  • Be 18 years or older
  • Have the “warm subtype” of CRPS-1, meaning the affected limb is red, warm, or/and swollen, and
  • Have developed CRPS symptoms within the last 6 months

There are other considerations a trial doctor can discuss with you. Neridronate may help reduce the body’s reactions that cause pain and swelling in the warm subtype of CRPS-1. That is why the trial focuses on certain people with CRPS but not everyone. We are sharing this news so that potentially eligible patients are aware of this trial and have the chance to see if they qualify.

How the Trial Works
This is a “placebo-controlled” trial. This means:

  • Participants are randomly placed into one of two groups (like a coin flip)
  • One group gets neridronate
  • The other group gets a placebo (a substance that looks the same but has no medicine in it)

Participants will receive four infusions through a small tube in the vein over 10 days. There will be a followup period, with the trial lasting up to 18 weeks (4 months).

After the trial, participants who are still experiencing symptoms of CRPS-1 may be able to receive neridronate through an expanded access program. This decision would be determined by your trial doctor and yourself.

Locations and Cost
The trial is expected to open at 60 different sites across the United States. There is no cost to participate, and help may be available to pay for travel to clinic visits.

Learn More
If you want to learn more about participating in this trial, Contact a Site. View a full and continually updated list of active research sites on https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07210515#contacts-and-locations.

We are hopeful for what this research means for the future of CRPS care!

Do Not Let This Define Who You Are

Written by Jamie Sparbel for the RSDSA blog

How and when did you develop CRPS?

My CRPS started January 3, 2013, or at least that is when I was injured. I was diagnosed roughly about six months later. I was an EMT and I slipped on ice heading into a patient’s house and originally thought I had broken my wrist so I put a cast on my arm. After more x-rays, they determined it was not broken and they put my arm in a soft splint. I went to PT and massage therapy and nothing was working. Soon after, my ortho sent me to a pain management physician. My pain management physician walked in the room and said, “Yes you have CRPS and we need to stop it from spreading.”

What has daily life been like since your diagnosis?

I was a wreck when I was first diagnosed! I was young, just married and did not have any kids of my own yet. I was worried that this would restrict my life going forward. After about a year with CRPS I have learned to live with it. There are days where the pain is so bad I do not talk to anyone. I cry, I take hot showers, and I just want to cut my arm off. Other days the pain is tolerable and I go about my day where I am fine. I have always told myself, “do not let this define who you are.”

What is one thing you wish those without CRPS could understand?

You will have bad days! This can spread and it will at times be so defeating. But take the good days and remember that yes, this pain is the worst pain you have ever felt, but there is support out there and community that will support each other.

What advice would you give to newly diagnosed Warriors?

Get treatment ASAP. Do not wait! Go get second opinions and fight for your health!

What encouragement would you give to Warriors who have had CRPS for many years?
My CRPS is spreading down my left leg, so I really focus on the good days and what I can do now like spending time with my family, my daughter, and my friends. Sometimes I limp or my arm is in a sling, but I remember that the love I have for everyone is the same love they have for me. I would never wish it on anyone, but I will never let it define who I am, or have anyone remember me like this.

What activities or treatments have helped you find temporary or long term relief?

I am on medication. I find compression really helps in the winter. I also have a spinal stimulator that I love! Honestly, going to the gym really has helped in a weird painful way, lol. 

Anything else you would like to add?

Stay strong! I know it’s easier to say than to do, but that is what will get you through the bad days, weeks, and years. And don’t forget that it is okay to cry!

If you want to connect with Jamie, feel free to send her an email.

Every Day Is Challenging, but She Tries to Remain Positive

Written by Pennie A. for the RSDSA blog.

Hello my name is Pennie and I help my daughter Jess. She has CRPS Type 2 and we live in Sydney, Australia.

Jess was a dancer and was injured by a dance teacher. She had years of surgeries to try and preserve her hip, but unfortunately at 24 she needed a hip replacement. Six months after the replacement she was not recovering as she should have been so then she needed hip revision surgery for the replacement. This is where our nightmare started six years ago. Six days after the revision surgery, Jess was in excruciating pain in the hospital. Her leg from the knee down was purple and paralyzed.

Soon after, the surgeon took her back to the operating theatre. They found adhesions had formed due to years of inflammation that had crushed and adhered her sciatic nerve to two sections of her pelvis. This damage caused CRPS Type 2. Jess had lost the use of her lower leg.

One year down the track a nerve study showed that the sural and tibial nerves had been killed from the crush injury to the sciatic nerve. Her lower leg would never recover. Jess wanted an amputation with the hope to walk once again. We went to see a world renowned surgeon who performed osseointegration here in Australia as Jess could not have anything touching her leg due to hypersensitivity, so a normal prosthetic over her stump was not an option. The surgeon made it quite clear that the amputation would not take away her CRPS pain, but it would give her the ability to walk again as her leg was necrotic (dying). Jess had a below knee amputation at 25 years old with osseointegration. She can walk only short distances, but that beats being confined to a wheelchair.

Jess has a spinal cord stimulator, a bladder stimulator and can’t control her body temperature. She is in constant pain 24/7. Every day is challenging for her, but she tries so hard to remain positive. CRPS has changed her life forever, but she fights this ugly disease every single day. We both hold on to hope that someday, somehow there will be more that can be done to help her pain.

One of the biggest issues Jess and I find is that people look at her and say how great she looks, but my girl wears an excellent mask. The mask comes off around me and I see the hell she lives every day.

The other thing is extended family. They do not understand how hard each day really is for her and they do not make any effort to find out either which is so hard on us both.

My advice to other newly diagnosed Warriors is to learn all you can about CRPS and ask a lot of questions. Try to stay positive and don’t give up. Hold onto hope and find a pain specialist that will listen to you and understands this terrible, life-altering disease.

Bless you all xx

Pennie – A Carer and Mum

When No One Believed Him: A Mother’s Fight and a Son’s Strength

Written by Natalie Mosley Klenotic for the RSDSA blog.

My son developed CRPS as an 11 year old when another child knocked him down at school. The unbearable pain was nearly instant. He thought that he’d somehow broken a bone in his foot. By the time dinner rolled around, he had removed his sock and shoe. As he began homework after dinner, he casually sat with his legs crossed, bumping his foot and the pain increased tenfold.

My son, Gage Klenotic, suffered with CRPS for 3 1/2 years. It was nearly a solid year before a physician diagnosed him. Daily life had us searching for an answer. Our podiatrist knew what Gage had and I knew what Gage had, because sadly I had a friend online, whose little girl suffered with CRPS, but no one else would diagnose him with CRPS.

I began researching all about CRPS. Life during that first year was hellish. I wanted to help my son, so we went to a dozen neurologists, pain physicians and doctors. Luckily, one prescribed physical therapy, so he began it in the hopes of something changing his pain. He completed physical therapy with zero pain medication for six months. Navigating an invisible illness with physicians calling your son a liar was unbelievably difficult during the first months of CRPS and it hurt our whole family. Those 3 1/2 years were traumatic and PTSD-causing.

I advocate and attempt to educate anyone who does not understand illness that can’t always be seen. Invisible Illness is not any less painful than an illness that can be seen with the naked eye. 

To anyone who is the caregiver for someone with CRPS, it is hugely important to listen, support, and help the CRPS patient feel safe and comfortable as they share their painful journey with you. And to anyone newly diagnosed, this community believes you. There is hope. There is hope for you to get better. There is hope to live with it and find a new path.

To anyone living with CRPS, you are an inspiration! I applaud you and anything you insightfully share is appreciated. 

My son found assistance through fludiotherapy. It is a warm sensation created with ground up corn husks being blown around the CRPS appendage. It didn’t cure it, but it was a pleasant sensation. Gage also had capsaicin cream used on his foot while he was under anesthesia. This cream is made from the hottest peppers and it burnt off his nerve endings and helped to reboot his nerves. It took months of recovery, but later he began to experience less pain when he coupled this with mental distractions via his psychiatrist. 

Thank you for this opportunity to advocate. I wrote about my son’s CRPS journey in a children’s book and an adult companion book. The children’s book is being given to newly diagnosed children by my son’s former pain physicians at the children’s hospital. I have also been interviewed on a podcast, because I want CRPS to be better understood. The CRPS community needs more information shared about them. A cure needs to be found. 

You can contact Natalie via Nataliemosleyklenoticbooks.com and [email protected].

The New Front Line of Patient Advocacy: PDABs and the Trouble with QALYs

If you live with CRPS, you are likely an expert at navigating pharmacy counters and insurance appeals. But there is a new acronym in the healthcare landscape that might determine whether you can access your medication at all: PDABs.

Combined with a controversial metric called the QALY, these boards are changing the way the value of your life—and your relief—is calculated.

What is a PDAB?

A Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) is a state-level body created to curb rising drug costs. Think of them as a “watchdog” for medication pricing. They review specific high-cost drugs and, in some cases, can set “upper payment limits” (price caps).

While the goal of making medicine cheaper is noble, the method they use to decide if a drug is “worth it” is where the chronic pain community faces a significant risk.

The QALY: Measuring the “Quality” of Your Life

To decide if a drug is “cost-effective,” many boards rely on a metric called the Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY).

  • 1.0 QALY represents one year of “perfect health.”
  • 0.0 QALY represents death.

If a patient is living with a disability or chronic pain, the QALY system assigns their life a value less than 1.0.

The Problem: When a PDAB uses QALYs to determine if a pain medication is “worth the price,” the math is inherently biased. Because the system views a year of life with chronic pain as “lesser” than a year of life in perfect health, the “value” of a treatment that extends or improves that life is mathematically downgraded.

Why Chronic Pain Patients Should Be Concerned

Restricted Access: If a PDAB decides a drug isn’t “cost-effective” based on QALY math, insurance companies may stop covering it or move it to a “specialty tier” with massive co-pays.

Discrimination by Algorithm: Using QALYs can lead to “value-based” decisions that discriminate against the elderly and those with permanent disabilities. It suggests that a treatment for someone who will never reach “perfect health” isn’t as worth the investment.

Ignoring the “Patient Voice”: Metrics like QALYs often fail to capture the nuances of chronic pain, such as the ability to return to work, attend a child’s graduation, or simply experience a 20% reduction in daily agony.

What Can You Do?

The good news is that several states and federal advocates are fighting to ban the use of QALYs in drug evaluations, arguing that they violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Self-Advocate: If your state has a PDAB, find out when their public comment periods are. As of late 2025, the following states had PDABs: Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington. If your state has a PDAB, you can click here for updates.

Share Your Story: Data points don’t feel pain, but people do. Telling a board how a specific “expensive” medication allowed you to function can humanize the cold math of a QALY.

Support “Quality-Neutral” Metrics: Push for boards to use alternative measures that don’t discount the value of life based on disability status.

Your life is a 1.0, regardless of your pain score. Don’t let a PDAB tell you otherwise.

Lisa Van Allen, MS, PhD is a Pain Psychologist and the Chair of the RSDSA Advisory Board. When she’s not writing for the RSDSA or her own blog, you will find her trying to keep her pups out of the fresh paint on her canvases. 

A Journey To Relief: Tony’s Story


Abbott is an annual sponsor of RSDSA.

Living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) can bring daily challenges as individuals navigate life under the weight of persistent, severe pain. For Tony, his journey with severe pain started when he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 19. Despite the physical toll, he built a remarkable career as a top chef at restaurants across the country.

“My attitude was always: Keep moving through [the pain],” said Tony. Yet he had numerous surgeries and fusing procedures to try and control his pain. And nothing really worked.

“After I [had fusion surgery on] my ankle in 1991, I was never really that mobile. I dragged my leg around,” Tony explained.

“If you want to be mobile, cut it off”

Tony heard this unwelcome advice from a doctor, so at age 40 he made the difficult decision to have his left leg amputated below the knee in the hopes of increasing his mobility.

For a while the amputation helped alleviate Tony’s pain. And with physical therapy, he learned how to get around on one leg, even mastering skiing. But 5 years later, he developed severe nerve pain, diagnosed as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). That’s when his pain specialist told him about DRG therapy.

Finding a life-changing therapy

Tony initially did a trial period with DRG therapy to see if it could provide some relief. The first day of his trial period, he felt so good that he walked 5 miles around New York City.

“It felt great,” he said. “Up to that point, I had not walked that far in about 5 or 6 years.” Tony then had a permanent DRG system implanted. And he said he’s never felt better. The majority of his nerve pain is relieved, so he’s able to hike again—and even able to go back to skiing. He’s now a ski instructor for disabled people.

“For me, it’s been a life-changing device,” Tony said of DRG therapy. I don’t give up.”

Tony hopes his story can help other people also suffering from CRPS I or Causalgia (CRPS II). “What people need to know is that if you have nerve pain, [DRG therapy] has a huge potential to change the quality of your life,” he said. “For me, it has completely changed the quality of my life.”

What is Proclaim™ DRG Therapy?

Proclaim DRG Therapy is a novel neurostimulation technology that relieves pain at the source by interrupting pain signals at the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) before they reach the spinal cord. The DRG is a cluster of sensory nerve cells that sit along the levels of the spine that researchers have shown to help modulate pain signals from areas of the body where people experience pain. 1 Differing from traditional tonic spinal cord stimulation that has been used for decades, DRG stimulation may be a better choice for those with CRPS I or causalgia of the lower extremities. 2

By focusing electrical stimulation specifically on the DRG pain signals can be interrupted so you don’t feel pain in the same way. Proclaim DRG therapy has been clinically proven to provide significant pain relief, improve physical function, and enhance quality of life. 2*

Eligible patients can trial the therapy to see if it provides meaningful pain relief before committing to a permanently implanted system. 3 To learn more about DRG therapy watch Dr. Kiran Patel’s webinar that covers the nature of pain, common pain conditions, and therapeutic options for pain relief.

ISI

This testimonial relays an account of an individual’s response to the treatment. This patient’s account is genuine, typical, and documented. However, it does not provide any indication, guide, warranty or guarantee as to the response other persons may have to the treatment. Responses to the treatment discussed can and do vary and are specific to the individual patient.

These materials are not intended to replace your doctor’s advice or information. For any questions or concerns you may have regarding the medical procedures, devices and/or your personal health, please discuss these with your physician.

*Quality of life observed in other endpoints in the ACCURATE study

1. Esposito, M., Malayil, R., Hanes, M., & Deer , T. (2019, June). Unique Characteristics of the Dorsal Root Ganglion as a Target for Neuromodulation. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

2. Deer TR, Levy RM, Kramer J, et al. Dorsal root ganglion stimulation yielded higher treatment success rate for complex regional pain syndrome and causalgia at 3 and 12 months: a randomized comparative trial. Pain. 2017;158(4):669-681. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000814

3. Proclaim™ DRG Neurostimulation System Clinician’s Manual. Plano, TX. 2025.

Risk Information: The placement of a neurostimulation system requires surgery, which exposes patients to certain risks. Complications such as infection, swelling, bruising, and possibly the loss of strength or use in an affected limb or muscle group (e.g., paralysis) are possible. Additional risks such as undesirable changes in stimulation may occur over time. Be sure to talk to your doctor about the possible risks associated with neurostimulation.

Rx Only

Brief Summary: Prior to using Abbott devices, please review the User’s Manual for a complete listing of indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, potential adverse events, and directions for use. The system is intended to be used with leads and associated extensions that are compatible with the system.

Indications for Use: Spinal column stimulation via epidural and intra-spinal lead access to the dorsal root ganglion as an aid in the management of moderate to severe chronic intractable* pain of the lower limbs in adult patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) types I and II.**

*Study subjects from the ACCURATE clinical study had failed to achieve adequate pain relief from at least two prior pharmacologic treatments from at least two different drug classes and continued their pharma- cologic therapy during the clinical study.

**Please note that in 1994, a consensus group of pain medicine experts gathered by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) reviewed diagnostic criteria and agreed to rename reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and causalgia, as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) types I and II, respectively. CRPS II (causalgia) is defined as a painful condition arising from damage to a nerve. Nerve damage may result from traumatic or surgical nerve injury. Changes secondary to neuropathic pain seen in CRPS I (RSD) may be present, but are not a diagnostic requirement for CRPS II (causalgia).

Contraindications: Patients who are unable to operate the system, who are poor surgical risks. Patients who have failed to receive effective pain relief during trial stimulation.

Warnings/Precautions: Diathermy therapy, implanted cardiac systems or other active implantable devices, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography(CT), electrosurgery devices, ultrasonic scanning equipment, therapeutic radiation, explosive and flammable gases, theft detectors and metal screening devices, lead movement, operation of machinery, equipment and vehicles, pediatric use, pregnancy, and case damage.

Adverse Effects: Unpleasant sensations, changes in stimulation, stimulation in unwanted places, lead or implant migration, epidural hemorrhage, hematoma, infection, spinal cord compression, or paralysis from placement of a lead in the epidural space, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, tissue damage or nerve damage, paralysis, weakness, clumsiness, numbness, sensory loss, or pain below the level of the implant, pain where needle was inserted or at the electrode site or at IPG site, seroma at implant site, headache, allergic or rejection response, battery failure and/or leakage. User’s Guide must be reviewed for detailed disclosure.

Comfort, Relief, and Support: A Meaningful Gift Guide for CRPS Warriors

If you’re a CRPS Warrior making a wish list, or you’re trying to figure out the best gift for a loved one with CRPS, you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve spoken to numerous CRPS Warriors over the years about the everyday items they love as well as the gifts they reach for during flares and treatment days. However, we recommend chatting with your CRPS Warrior before making purchases to learn if their CRPS runs hot or cold and to better understand what types of items they cannot bear.

The use of these items is just as unique as each CRPS Warrior, so let us know if there is anything we should add by leaving a comment at the end of the guide!

This is not a sponsored post.

Fuzzy and/or Compression Socks

Many with CRPS try to keep their feet as warm as possible while at home, during work, dog walks, errand runs and everything in between. Fuzzy, cabin, or compression socks are super helpful in achieving this. They also come in so many fun colors/designs. Consider knitted socks for a true custom flair.

Find them at: Etsy | Dollar Tree | Heat Holders

Sweatsuit For Infusion Days

A matching sweatsuit not only saves time when getting dressed for treatment days, but it can also be functional! Consider a sweatsuit with arm access to make infusions and blood draws easier than ever. The sweatsuit can even be used when traveling!

Find them at: Spoonie Threads | Be Well | Walmart

Photo via Spoonie Threads

Warm/Heated Throw Blankets

You can never have too many blankets! Some may also appreciate a wireless heating pad if they need heat concentrated to one area. Consider pairing your blankets with soft pillows, especially for limbs that like to be elevated.

Find them at: Macy’s | Kohl’s | Amazon

Noise Cancelling Headphones

Many with CRPS cannot handle loud noises and prefer to use headphones, especially those that block out surrounding noises. They’re perfect for treatment days and traveling!

Find them at: Bose | JBL | Sony

Coloring and Activity/Game Books

Coloring books are not just for kids! Coloring is such a relaxing activity for high-stress situations. Be sure to throw in some color pencils or markers when gifting a coloring book. For those who may not like coloring, consider brain teaser, crossword puzzle or sudoku books as well.

Find them at: Michaels | Books A Million | Barnes & Noble

Water Bottle with Electrolyte Packets

Staying hydrated is important for everyone, but it’s especially vital for those with CRPS. Proper hydration with water and electrolytes can help decrease inflammation, improve nerve signals, and soothe muscle spasms. Water bottles and electrolyte packets are easy to find and are great for Easter, boo, or burr baskets or as stocking stuffer.

Find them at: Nalgene | Yeti | Liquid IV

Spray on Moisturizer

Spray moisturizers can be helpful for CRPS Warriors with sensitive skin in order to ensure hydration without excess touch. Pro Tip: Select one without extra fragrance!

Find them at: Aquaphor | Vaseline

Oscillating Fan and/or Electric Heater

Some with CRPS have different temperatures in each region of their body which results in needing a heater/blanket in one spot and a fan in another. Consider purchasing a fan that provides the option of evenly distributing air when necessary.

Find them at: Home Depot Fans | Home Depot Heaters

Red Light Therapy Items

While some think red light therapy is just a dermatology fad, it is proven to be helpful for many in pain. Clinical red lights are stronger than at-home tools, but many caps/helmets, masks and panels have been found to help with the pain that comes from having CRPS. If you want a larger option, see if your local tanning salon has red light beds. Be sure to ask about the specs to ensure it’s what you need.

Find them at: Viconor | Swirise

Free Option: Create a Playlist

An easy and free option is creating a playlist filled with your CRPS Warrior’s favorite tunes. They can listen to your playlist during treatment days!

Find them at: Spotify | Apple Music | Pandora

Gym Membership for Sauna Access

Similar to red light therapy, many CRPS Warriors find relief using a sauna. While home saunas may not be an option due to financial or space limitations, finding a local gym with a sauna and obtaining a membership is an easy alternative.

Find them at: Crunch Fitness | LA Fitness

Print RSDSA Resources

Many CRPS Warriors carry medical records and resource documents in their “medical toolbox” for appointments, including RSDSA’s hospital guidelines, dental guidelines, and I Have CRPS Cards. Consider printing copies of these items out for your loved one to save them a bit of ink or a trip to their local print shop.

Find them at: Hospital Guidelines | Dental Guidelines | I Have CRPS Cards

Gift Cards

You can never go wrong with a gift card so the exact items that a CRPS Warrior needs can be purchased. This way, they can buy anything you may have missed such as ACE bandages, Pedialyte, compression sleeves, fleece-lined leggings, hand warmers, and much more.

Find them at: Amazon | Visa.com

Books From Fellow CRPS Warriors

Some with CRPS like to read about the experiences of others, so thankfully we know a few CRPS Warriors who are also authors. Many of their books are memoirs, but some are also filled with poetry and advice for finding hope.

Find them at: Krystal Jones (Amazon) | Amberly Lago (AmberlyLago.com) | Peter Conti (Amazon)

Looking Forward, Together

CRPS is one of the most painful and least understood conditions known to medicine – and because of that, many individuals face their diagnosis feeling isolated, afraid, and unsure where to turn. For thousands of people across the country, RSDSA becomes the first steady source of clarity, community, and hope. It is only through your support we can continue this great work.

This year, supporters like you helped RSDSA:

  • Create resources and education for individuals and families living with this rare condition
  • Provide guidance and community connections for people navigating their CRPS journey
  • Deliver expert-led livestreams, online support, and educational materials to improve understanding and outcomes
  • Increase awareness among healthcare providers and advocates
  • Strengthen national networks so no one must walk this path alone
  • Grow our patient assistance programs

But there is still so much more work to be done.

Because CRPS is rare, individuals often struggle for years searching for clear information, appropriate care, and a supportive community. For more than 40 years, RSDSA has funded research, centralized credible resources, and laid a foundation that many organizations rely on today.

As we look toward 2026, we are committed to doing even more – expanding education, strengthening advocacy, and growing our patient assistance programs, to name just a few. None of this is possible without your dedicated support.

Your year-end gift has a direct and meaningful impact.

Please visit rsds.org/donate to make your year-end contribution today.

Tonko, Miller-Meeks Introduce Resolution on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Awareness Month

Bipartisan resolution recognizes rare, painful condition

WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) today announced the introduction of a bipartisan resolution designating November as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Awareness Month to raise awareness about this rare neuro-inflammatory syndrome and ensure individuals living with this condition have access to early detection as well as safe and effective treatments.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy is characterized by persistent, regional pain that is disproportionate to any known trauma or lesion, and is accompanied by sensory, motor, vasomotor, and/or trophic changes in the affected limb.

Rep. Tonko successfully championed the push in Congress to improve visibility and access to treatments for the millions of individuals impacted by a rare disease with his Helping Experts Accelerate Rare Treatments (HEART) Act, which was signed into law in December 2022.

“For the millions of Americans living with a rare or ultra-rare disease, reliable information is scarce and treatment options are even more limited, leaving patients and their families with few paths forward and even fewer reasons for hope.” Rep. Tonko said. “That’s why I am incredibly proud of my work alongside advocates to have passed the HEART Act. This law amplifies the voices of those living with a rare disease as well as healthcare professional who care for them, while also accelerating the development and approval of new treatments. But my work to uplift the needs of those living with these rare conditions is far from over. Today, I’m honored to introduce a new resolution on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome alongside Representative Miller-Meeks and am deeply grateful to all those who have helped raise awareness on this often-overlooked condition. I pledge to continue working to ensure Congress meets the needs of those living with a rare disease.”

“As a physician, I know how devastating Complex Regional Pain Syndrome can be for patients who often spend years searching for answers,” Rep. Miller-Meeks said. “Early detection and access to effective treatment are critical, yet too many Americans face delays, misdiagnosis, or a lack of awareness. I’m proud to join Rep. Tonko in leading this bipartisan effort to shine a light on CRPS and ensure that patients, families, and providers have the tools and support they need.”

The text of the resolution can be viewed HERE.

In a statement, the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (RSDSA) said, “Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (RSDS.org) supports CRPS Awareness as a great step forward in giving comfort and hope to all those afflicted with CRPS. We are deeply grateful to Representative Tonko and Representative Miller-Meeks for their continued commitment to raising awareness. The nature, and even the existence of CRPS, is too little known. Increasing awareness of CRPS will motivate wider education about this painful disease among healthcare professionals as well as among the lay public. It will promote support for those who suffer with CRPS, and it will encourage research into the mechanisms of the disease of CRPS, which will lead to better treatments, and, ultimately, for a cure for CRPS.”