Co-morbidity is this dumb sciency word we all use to describe the intersections and likely hoods that 2 or more diseases/events/accidents will occur simultaneously or eventually. The exact quote “any distinct clinical entity that has co-existed or that may occur during the clinical course of a patient who has the index disease under study.” Here is the simple example: People with type 2 diabetes have a high co-morbidity rate of having high blood pressure or infections that won’t heal. That doesn’t guarantee that just because someone had type 2 that they automatically will have high blood pressure, it just means the number of people who have both is very high. Some diseases have low co-morbidity, while others have no research on intersections [CRPS]. A less sciency way to describe it is the likelihood that a child with dyslexia will have trouble reading or spelling. There is not a guarantee, but it’s pretty common [I managed to hide it by memorizing words…but I suck, and still suck, at spelling]
I think it’s a stupid name because it sounds like some kind of death sentence. Often times it just refers to specific symptoms. Women with PCOS are more likely to have trouble getting pregnant. But there is also studies that prove, getting pregnant can actually “cure/halt” PCOS for a woman diagnosed.
Here is a great list of super fun, high co-morbidity things that can occur with CRPS
– Osteroperosis
-autoimmune diseases [there are like 20…]
-fibromyalgia
-hormonal diseases
-PCOS
-dystonia
-anxiety
-depression
-sleep problems [any of them]
– POTs [this is a new one for me to learn about!]
-neuropathy
-body temperature issues [sometimes related to hypothamalus]
-psychological side effects
-arthritis
– osteo-degenerative diseases
-falls, injuries, bruising, skin problems, a bazillion more.
Add into all of this that there is a very limited number of researchers that would want to work to find the source of a disease and the mechanisms. Now while the mechanisms behind CRPS can be technically understood, why and how does it display and react so differently in each person? There is no “one size fits all treatment” like a cold medicine or aspirin. What I really what someone to dig up is where the root of it is? Genetics or autoimmune, and if it is autoimmune, why aren’t CRPS cases being full treated like an autoimmune disease.
Please read this amazing research paper from 2012 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661922/
It does a lovely job breaking down the autoimmune and inflammation parts [also it’s just a great nerdy read]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430719/
This breaks down diagnostics in a pretty simple way finally
Life On Fire 