THE 9/10 TRANSLATION SERVICE
What does a
9 out of 10 feel like?
When someone asks me about CRPS, I want them to understand more than a number. It's the pain itself, but also what that pain does to a normal day—and how often the person across from you is trying to carry on anyway.
“Imagine you hit your finger with a hammer, and consider that pain through your entire body 24/7.”— A metaphor from the original Living Through the Pain writing; not a literal description of every person with CRPS
FIRST / SEE THE PERSON
A smile isn't a pain assessment.
I might be standing in a garage, walking the dogs, finishing work, or talking about fishing. I can be proud of getting something done and still be hurting badly. From the outside, those two things can look contradictory. From inside the experience, they aren't.
Pain scales are useful communication tools, but they don't show what a person had to change to get through the day, or what the effort may cost afterward.
SECOND / LISTEN BEFORE FIXING
Not every moment needs a solution.
It's natural to want to solve something frightening. But immediately proposing another treatment, asking whether the person has tried a cure, or deciding how they ought to react can make it harder to be heard.
Sometimes the most useful response is simple: “I believe you. What would help right now?” They may want practical help, a quiet moment, a change of plans, or a medical evaluation. Ask rather than decide for them.
THIRD / A CONVERSATION GUIDE
Questions worth asking.
It describes pain intensity, not everything else about how a person looks or behaves. Someone may have learned to work, talk or smile through severe pain. That does not make the report less real.
Symptoms and function can fluctuate. In my own life, the demands of the day, sleep, mobility and different activities can change what is practical. I cannot always predict or explain a flare.
Do not assume all severe pain is routine CRPS, or that a familiar flare can never need urgent care. Ask what is different, follow a clinician-created plan if one exists, and get urgent help for new or alarming symptoms or immediate danger.
Ask a specific question: Would it help if I brought the bag upstairs? Would you rather have company or quiet? Give me a moment, or would you like me to stay? Then respect the answer.
FOURTH / A SHORT WAY TO EXPLAIN IT
A 30-second CRPS explanation.
CRPS stands for complex regional pain syndrome. It can cause severe ongoing pain and changes in sensation, movement and the affected area. What makes it especially hard to understand is that someone can look well and still be experiencing serious pain. It can disrupt ordinary activities, and the experience differs from person to person. Being supportive starts with listening rather than judging how they look.
For general medical information on CRPS and how clinicians evaluate it, see MedlinePlus and our Start Here introduction.
Nothing on this page can determine whether someone's symptoms are an emergency. New or concerning symptoms require appropriate medical evaluation, even when a person already has a CRPS diagnosis.