Progression Or Spreading Of RSD / CRPS
Although every patient is different, the progression of RSD / CRPS has been generally assigned to stages. Also, it is generally accepted that RSD/CRPS can spread within the affected limb and even to other parts of the body. Although there is no medical consensus of how to categorize the pattern or extent of how the disease spreads, there are some broadly classified subgroups that consist of the following patterns:
- Contiguous Spread – this occurs in almost all patients and involves the gradual enlargement of the affected area.
- Independent Spread – signs and symptoms appear at distant sites not adjacent to the initial site of the injury.
- Mirror Image Spread – signs and symptoms appear in the same area on the opposite limb or on the opposite side of the body.
