Medical Hydrology and Balneology: Environmental Aspects

Improvement of clinical features in CRPS after
mud therapy
Demirgian S (1) , Surdu O (1-2) , Marin V (1) , Profir D (1)
(1) Balneal and Rehabilitation SanatoriumTechirghiol. Romania
(2) Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine. University Ovidius Constanta. Romania
sibeldemirgian@yahoo.com
Introduction and Objectives
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a disorder of the extremities that is
characterized by pain, swelling, limited range of motion, vasomotor instability,
trophyc skin changes, and patchy bone demineralization. Alternative names for
CRPS in the literature include reflex sympathetic dystrophy, algodystrophy,
causalgia, Sudeck\'s atrophy. Two types of CRPS have been recognized:
- type I corresponds to patients with CRPS without a definable nerve lesion and
represents about 90% of clinical presentations;
- type II was formerly termed causalgia and refers to cases where a definable
nerve lesion is present.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of specific
clinical features in CRPS I (pain, edema, loss of function, skin temperature), and to
evaluate the benefits of complex treatment,
Materials and Methods
MATERIALS:
1. sapropelic mud, mineral water from Techirghiol Lake, all facilities for
treatment of the sanatorium;
2. visual analog scale for pain, centimeter, goniometer, thermograph; .
METHODS: Study batch was composed of 35 patients with posttraumatic CRPS
I of upper and lower limbs (10 located at upper limb, 25 located at lower limb).
Pain was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS). Circumference of the affected
limb (sign of edema) was measured by centimeter. Range of motion was evaluated
using goniometer. Skin temperature was measured with an infrared camera. All
the parameters were evaluated before the beginning of treatment and to the end of
balneal cure (12 days or 18 days).
Complex treatment consists in thermotherapy (mud bath at 380 C for 20
minutes), electrotherapy (reflex, resorbtive, analgesic), massage and kinethotherapy
(in the gym room and in swimming pool with salt water of Techirghiol Lake).
Balnea
2012, núm. 6, 145-146
145
ISBN: 978-84-669-1887-0
978-84-669-3482-4