Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Specialist

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic, often debilitating pain condition that can develop after an injury, surgery, fracture, or nerve trauma. The original injury may seem minor compared to the level of pain that follows. Yet the burning, stabbing, or electric-like sensations that come with CRPS can feel overwhelming and out of proportion to what “should” be happening in the limb.

CRPS doesn’t just cause pain—it can change the way the affected area looks and feels. People often notice swelling, temperature changes, color changes, and extreme sensitivity to touch or cold. Even light contact from clothing, sheets, or water in the shower can trigger severe discomfort. Over time, these symptoms can interfere with sleep, work, daily tasks, and emotional well-being, leaving patients exhausted, frustrated, and unsure where to turn.

One of the hardest parts of CRPS is that it’s frequently misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed. Patients may be told that “nothing is wrong,” that it’s “all in their head,” or that they simply need more time to heal. In reality, CRPS is a real, complex condition that requires the attention of a specialist who understands its patterns and knows how to treat it.

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we provide advanced evaluation and treatment for patients living with CRPS. As a Georgia-based leader in least-invasive, least drug-dependent pain management, our team focuses on restoring function, calming pain, and improving quality of life—using modern, multimodal strategies tailored to each patient’s unique situation.

How a Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Specialist Evaluates CRPS

Detailed History and Symptom Review

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, your CRPS evaluation starts with a thorough conversation, not a rushed checklist. Your specialist will:

• Talk through the original injury, surgery, or event that came before your symptoms.
• Review the timeline—when the pain began, how it has changed, and what seems to make it better or worse.
• Go over all previous treatments and medications you’ve tried, including physical therapy, injections, medications, and other interventions, and how your body responded to each.

This history helps us understand not only what happened to your body, but also what you’ve already been through in your search for relief.

Focused Physical and Neurological Exam

Next, your specialist performs a focused physical and neurological exam tailored to CRPS. This typically includes:

• Checking for skin changes, such as color differences, temperature changes, shiny or thin skin, or changes in hair and nail growth.
• Assessing swelling, warmth or coolness, and any unusual sweating patterns in the affected area.
• Testing sensitivity to light touch, pressure, and temperature to understand how reactive the nerves have become.
• Evaluating strength, range of motion, and function—how well you can move, grip, walk, bear weight, or use the limb in daily tasks.

This exam gives us a clearer picture of how CRPS is affecting your body right now, beyond what can be seen in imaging alone.

Use of Imaging and Diagnostic Tests When Needed

CRPS is primarily a clinical diagnosis (based on symptoms and exam), but imaging and tests can help rule out other problems and support the diagnosis. When appropriate, your Medici specialist may order:

• X-rays to look for bone changes or rule out fractures and joint conditions.
• MRI to assess soft tissues, nerves, and joints, and exclude other structural causes of pain.
• Bone scans or other specialized studies in selected cases to look for characteristic changes.
• Nerve studies (such as EMG/NCV) when there is concern about specific nerve injuries or other neuropathies.

These tests aren’t used to dismiss your pain—they’re used to ensure we’re not missing any additional conditions that may need attention alongside CRPS.

Clear Communication of Findings

Once the evaluation is complete, your specialist will sit down with you and explain the findings in clear, understandable language—not buried in medical jargon. You’ll have a chance to review:

• How your symptoms and exam fit with CRPS
• What other conditions have been ruled out
• What this means for your next steps in treatment

Just as important, we provide reassurance that:

• CRPS is a real, recognized condition
• Your pain and symptoms are not imagined or exaggerated
• With the right, structured approach, there are options to help manage pain, improve function, and support your quality of life

Non-Surgical and Minimally Invasive CRPS Treatments at Medici

Targeted Medication Management (Least Drug-Dependent)

Medications can be helpful in CRPS, but we use them strategically and thoughtfully. At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, targeted medication management may include:

• Non-opioid options, such as neuropathic pain medications, certain antidepressants used for nerve pain, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatories when appropriate.
• Short- and medium-term use, with regular review to ensure each medication is still helpful and necessary.
• A focus on minimizing long-term opioid use whenever possible, in line with our least drug-dependent philosophy.

Medications are always part of a larger, integrated plan, not the only approach.

Physical Therapy and Desensitization Techniques

Movement is crucial in CRPS, but it has to be approached gently and strategically. Working with therapists who understand CRPS, we focus on:

• Gentle, progressive movement therapy to maintain or restore joint motion and muscle strength without overwhelming the limb.
• Desensitization techniques, such as gradual exposure to light touch, textures, and temperatures, to slowly calm overactive pain responses.
• Functional training that helps you safely use the limb in everyday tasks—walking, gripping, dressing, or weight-bearing—as appropriate.

The goal is to retrain the nervous system and the body together, supporting both pain reduction and improved function.

Interventional Pain Procedures

For some CRPS patients, carefully selected interventional pain procedures can provide meaningful relief and help break tough pain cycles. These may include:

• Sympathetic nerve blocks – injections that target the sympathetic nervous system to reduce pain, improve blood flow, and sometimes provide important diagnostic information.
• Image-guided injections – precisely placed medications aimed at calming inflamed or overactive pain pathways in or around affected areas.

These procedures can:

• Decrease pain enough to allow better participation in physical therapy
• Support improved circulation and comfort
• Offer periods of relief that make daily life more manageable

Your Medici specialist will discuss whether these options are appropriate for your specific presentation.

Neuromodulation and Spinal Cord Stimulation

When conservative and minimally invasive treatments are not enough, neuromodulation—particularly spinal cord stimulation (SCS)—may be considered for CRPS.

Spinal cord stimulation involves:

• Placing small electrodes near the spinal cord to send gentle electrical signals that modify how pain is perceived.
• Adjusting pain signaling without removing tissue, changing bone structure, or relying solely on medications.

A key benefit of SCS is the trial process:

• You can test the therapy temporarily to see how much relief it provides before any permanent device is implanted.
• Only patients who experience meaningful benefit during the trial are considered for long-term implantation.

Spinal cord stimulation is reserved for carefully selected patients and used as part of a comprehensive plan, not as a first step.

Regenerative and Supportive Therapies

For select CRPS patients, regenerative and supportive therapies may play a complementary role. Depending on your specific situation, options may include:

• Targeted regenerative treatments aimed at supporting ligaments, soft tissues, or joint structures in areas affected by injury and pain.
• Other supportive modalities designed to enhance tissue health, circulation, and comfort.

At Medici, these are never used in isolation for CRPS. Instead, they are integrated into broader treatment plans, always with clear discussion about potential benefits and realistic expectations.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for CRPS Support (When Appropriate)

In some complex pain cases, including select CRPS patients, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be considered as a supportive therapy.

HBOT involves breathing concentrated oxygen in a pressurized chamber, which can:

• Increase oxygen delivery to tissues
• Support healing and circulation
• Potentially assist in calming certain aspects of chronic inflammation and tissue stress

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, HBOT is used as a complementary tool within a broader CRPS management plan, not as a stand-alone cure. Your specialist will discuss whether HBOT has a potential role in your case based on your symptoms, goals, and overall health.

Get Help from a Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Specialist in Georgia

Living with complex regional pain syndrome can feel isolating, confusing, and overwhelming—but you need to know this: your pain is real, and you do not have to face it alone. CRPS is a complex condition, but with the right specialist, there is a path forward that focuses on understanding your symptoms, validating your experience, and building a plan that truly supports you.

At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we are a trusted choice for patients across Georgia seeking a complex regional pain syndrome specialist and advanced, least-invasive, least drug-dependent care. Our team combines medical expertise with genuine compassion, using a multimodal approach to target pain, protect function, and improve your quality of life—not just today, but long term.

If you’re experiencing burning pain, swelling, color or temperature changes, or sensitivity that just doesn’t make sense—and especially if you’ve been told “nothing is wrong”—it may be time to get a second look from a team that understands CRPS.

Contact Medici Orthopaedics & Spine

📍 Locations:
Marietta Ambulatory Surgery Center
792 Church Street, Unit 101
Marietta, GA 30060
(470) 795-8398

Snellville Ambulatory Surgery Center
2220 Wisteria Dr, Unit 100
Snellville, GA 30078
(470) 795-8398

Kennesaw Clinic
2911 George Busbee Parkway, Suite 50
Kennesaw, GA 30144
(770) 545-6404

Snellville Clinic
2220 Wisteria Drive, Unit 101
Snellville, GA 30078
(470) 645-9297

Buckhead PM&R
3200 Downwood Circle, NW, Suite 520
Atlanta, GA 30327
(770) 872-7549

📞 Main Contact: +1-844-328-4624
🌐 Website: https://www.mediciortho.com/