Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a neuropathic pain response that manifests after an injury to a limb. The responses clients experience vary considerably, and the manifestations include pain disproportionate to the injury, inflammation, trophic and pseudomotor changes. The Budapest criteria is the current accepted and validated criterion used to assist occupational therapists (OTs) with identifying the early signs and symptoms of CRPS. Improving awareness of the Budapest criteria will help OTs facilitate prompt initiation of effective and appropriate treatment, including alternative pain management interventions, for individuals unable to participate in the common pharmacological approaches. This capstone project provides OTs information regarding the signs and symptoms of CRPS type I and allows OTs to consider using an occupation-based hand therapy (OBHT) when treating this population.
