CRPS and Vitamin C
Vitamin C and Post-Injury Nerve Pain
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), formerly known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), is an uncommon form of chronic pain that typically develops after an injury, surgery, stroke, or heart attack. The pain is often severe and lasts beyond the expected recovery period. Symptoms may include persistent aching, swelling, temperature changes, and heightened sensitivity in the affected limb.
Although the exact cause of CRPS is not fully understood, it is frequently associated with fractures or other trauma.
Early Research on Vitamin C and CRPS
Research published in the Journal of Family Practice (2000; 49:268–269) suggested that vitamin C taken after an injury may help reduce the likelihood of developing CRPS. In this study, individuals who did not take vitamin C were more than three times as likely to develop RSD compared with those who consumed over 500 mg of vitamin C daily for two months following the injury.
These findings are preliminary, but they have encouraged further research into how antioxidants may support normal tissue recovery after trauma.
