Complex Regional Pain Syndrome | Diagnosis using the Budapest Criteria

The Budapest Criteria should now be used to diagnose Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS):

A: The patient has continuing pain which is disproportionate to the inciting event

B: The patient has at least one sign in two or more of the categories

C: The patient reports at least one symptom in three or more of the categories

D: No other diagnosis can better explain the signs and symptoms

Sensory: Allodynia (to light touch and/or temperature sensation and/or deep somatic pressure and/or joint movement) and/or hyperalgesia (to pinprick)

Vasomotor: Temperature asymmetry (more than 1 deg.) and/or skin colour changes and/or skin colour asymmetry

Sudomotor/oedema: Oedema and/or sweating changes and/or sweating asymmetry

Motor/trophic: Decreased range of motion and/or motor dysfunction (weakness, tremor, dystonia) and/or trophic changes (hair/nail/skin)

Signs – see or feel a problem

Symptoms – patient reports a problem

Click here for The CRPS Concise Guide on the Royal College of Physicians website

If you have been diagnosed or think that you may have CRPS, contact us for information or to book an appointment to start your specialist treatment and training programme; call 07932 689081

CRPS UK Blog for the latest research and thinking in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome