Hansard

I, too, thank Clare Adamson for securing such a vital debate on complex regional pain syndrome, which we refer to as CRPS. It is essential to recognise that CRPS can happen to any of us, yet it remains a silent struggle for so many people. I am grateful to be part of the debate to help to break the silence that surrounds CRPS and to shine a light on the immense challenges that those who live with the condition face. I learned only this week—it seems that it was the same for other members—that CRPS is one of the most painful conditions that we know of, that it is often triggered by a seemingly minor injury, such as a sprain or a bone fracture, and that it can even appear spontaneously, with no known cause.

I have heard the enduring chronic pain associated with CRPS described as being much more painful than any initial injury and that it is a pain so severe that it can be described as

“being burnt alive from head to toe”.

That is a really scary thought.

In addition, CRPS causes pathological changes to the bones, along with intense swelling, heat and skin discolouration, as we have heard already. It is no surprise to learn that those symptoms can disrupt daily life and affect overall wellbeing.

One example that captured me was Ruby’s story. Ruby is a resilient individual who was diagnosed with CRPS in childhood and who faced a challenging shift in symptoms during her time at university. Ruby’s first couple of years at uni went really well, but then her pain escalated, and it reached the point at which sitting upright for more than a few minutes became unbearable.

Ruby’s exciting university life petered out and she had to leave her work placement and rely on essential support back at her parents’ home. That was devastating, especially for someone who describes themselves as a determined individual. The impact on her mental health was profound, not only because of the high level of pain that she was living with but from losing the ability to do the everyday tasks that we often take for granted.

I also point out that we need to increase awareness of the condition. When hearing Ruby’s experience, I was a bit taken aback by the misconceptions that were voiced by her peers, such as, “How lucky you are to rest at home.” Those comments are unhelpful and undermine the intense agony that Ruby was enduring, so we need to make sure that we have compassion in mind.

I also stress the significance of increasing awareness from a medical perspective. CRPS is challenging to diagnose and treat. There is no specific clinical test for a definitive positive result, and patients’ symptoms can vary. The NHS website states that CRPS is a condition that is “poorly understood”, and patients’ symptoms are sometimes dismissed, as we have heard. It would be helpful if the minister could reflect on any steps that the Scottish Government might take to raise awareness.