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Treating Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Using Counterstrain: A Novel Approach
Karl Schranz1, Daltrey Meitz1, Bethany Powers1
1Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Spartanburg, USA.
Cureus
|October 19, 2020
Summary
A novel osteopathic manipulative treatment approach using patient-identified irritants for counterstrain shows promise in treating complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). This method effectively resolved symptoms and improved sensory deficits in a patient with CRPS.
Area of Science:
- Osteopathic manipulative medicine
- Neurology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) presents significant treatment challenges, often necessitating multidisciplinary and multimodal strategies.
- Current treatments for CRPS, including physical therapy, medications, and TENS units, offer temporary relief but do not address the underlying pathology.
- Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) literature lacks descriptions of counterstrain techniques specifically tailored for CRPS neuropathic symptoms.
Observation:
- A 23-year-old female presented with a year of progressively worsening CRPS symptoms in her right foot and lower leg.
- The patient had undergone various conventional treatments with limited success in addressing the root cause of her condition.
- A novel OMT approach was employed, utilizing patient-identified irritants to induce and then treat neuropathic symptoms as counterstrain tender points.
Findings:
- The novel osteopathic counterstrain technique resulted in a lasting resolution of the patient's CRPS symptoms.
- Treatment led to significant improvements in proprioception and temperature discrimination in the affected limb.
- This OMT approach is characterized by its low intensity, passive nature, and ease of administration, requiring minimal specialized training.
Implications:
- Counterstrain using patient-identified irritants represents a potentially valuable and accessible treatment option for complex regional pain syndrome.
- This technique's simplicity and tolerability suggest broad applicability for standard practitioners treating CRPS patients.
- Further research, including prospective and controlled trials, is warranted to validate the safety and efficacy of this promising intervention for CRPS.
