Therapeutic Methods to Reduce Nerve Pain: A model of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Soft tissue injuries are mainly caused by musculoskeletal injuries that occur while playing a sport (Bayraktar & Yücesir, 2009). From these musculoskeletal injuries, neurological disorders, such as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), can arise. CRPS is an extremely debilitating disease with symptoms in the categories of sensory, vasomotor, sudomotor or edema, and motor or trophic functioning (Birklein & Dimova, 2017). There is very limited research on what treatments work best. One new method of treatment that is being used in pain management in general is mindfulness (Davis et al., 2015). Going off of the CRPS model of CRPS occurring after peripheral injury, it can be hypothesized that people who had a peripheral injury will have increased pain sensation in the injured limb compared to the non-injured limb. The pain will also be decreased short term by actively focusing on it and increased long-term by adding in the stress factor. Participants will be Allegheny College student-athletes ages 18-23 who have had a peripheral injury and a control group cross matched with no previous injuries. They will be asked to complete the cold pressor task over a three-week period with both the affected and unaffected limb while actively focusing on the limb (Mindfulness), being engaged in conversation (Distraction), and when presented with an internal stressor (Stress). They will be rating their pain on a scale of 1-10 and their change in heart rate from baseline to when they experience pain and take the limb out of the water will be recorded. The expected results are for the change in heart rate and pain rating to be the lowest when mindfulness is used and the uninjured limb will be less “painful” than the previously injured limb. It is also expected that the added stress factor will feel like it was the most painful variable during the exit survey at the end of the three-week period.