Actor Archana Puran Singh recently became emotional after her son Ayushmaan Sethi praised her resilience in an Instagram Reel, revealing that she was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) following a wrist injury in 2025.
The condition, which developed after she was injured on the sets of Vicky Vidya Ka Wo Wala Video, has permanently affected her hand. Ayushmaan shared that despite intense pain, Archana continued to work on films, a web series, and even launched her YouTube channel in her early sixties.
Here's everything you need to know about CRPS.
What Is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?
According to studies published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CRPS is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder in which the pain is far more severe and long-lasting than what would normally be expected after an injury.
It is marked by persistent regional pain that does not follow a specific nerve distribution and continues even after the tissue has healed.
The condition is often accompanied by sensory, motor, and autonomic disturbances such as abnormal skin colour, temperature changes, swelling, sweating, stiffness, weakness, and altered sensation. CRPS most commonly develops after trauma, fractures, or surgery, though in rare cases it can appear without an obvious trigger.
Why Does CRPS Cause Such Severe Pain?
Dr Neha Kapoor, Associate Director and Head of Neurology at Asian Hospital, explained the disorder to NDTV and said, "CRPS is an uncommon but serious neurological pain condition in which a limb, most often a hand or foot, develops long-term functional and sensory changes after an injury, fracture, surgery, or even minor trauma. Neurologists argue that CRPS is not due to ongoing damage to bones or muscles but results from a failure of the nervous system to correctly interpret pain signals."
She further said that in this state, the brain and spinal cord continue to transmit exaggerated pain messages even after the original injury has healed. "This leads to chronic pain, stiffness, swelling, and distortion of movement. CRPS is, in essence, a disorder of pain regulation - the nervous system is unable to switch off the pain response, resulting in long-term and often disabling symptoms," Dr Kapoor added.
Symptoms That Go Beyond Ordinary Injury
Dr Kapoor stated that the pain experienced in CRPS is typically described as burning, stabbing, or throbbing and is vastly out of proportion to the original injury.
She said, "Even gentle touch, mild pressure, or changes in temperature can trigger extreme discomfort, a phenomenon known as allodynia. Patients may also notice visible changes in the affected limb, including swelling, changes in skin colour from pale to reddish or bluish, abnormal sweating, and differences in temperature between the affected limb and the opposite side. These changes occur due to dysregulation of the autonomic nerves, which control blood flow and sweating, further contributing to pain and stiffness."
Types, Diagnosis, And The Importance Of Early Treatment
CRPS is broadly divided into two types: Type I, which occurs without confirmed nerve injury, and Type II, which follows documented nerve damage. However, both forms stem from faulty nerve signalling and abnormal pain processing.
Talking about the same, Dr Kapoor explained, "With time, the pain can lead to muscle wasting, joint stiffness, and significant loss of function. In long-standing cases, the affected limb may never return to its pre-injury state. Full recovery is often unlikely once CRPS becomes chronic, as structural and functional changes in the nervous system may become permanent."
"Diagnosis is largely clinical, as no single test confirms CRPS. Doctors rely on symptom patterns, physical examination, and the exclusion of other neurological or orthopaedic conditions. Imaging may help rule out other causes, but cannot definitively diagnose CRPS. Early identification is crucial because prompt treatment significantly improves outcomes," she continued.
Managing CRPS And Living With A Life-Altering Condition
Management focuses on reducing pain and preserving movement through a combination of physiotherapy, medications for nerve pain, and, in selected cases, interventional pain procedures.
Dr Kapoor said, "Psychological support is equally important, as chronic pain takes a heavy emotional toll. CRPS is not life-threatening, but it is life-altering. Awareness of the seriousness of this condition is essential so that patients seek timely medical care and do not dismiss the pain as exaggerated or psychological. In advanced stages, the limb may never be the same again, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and long-term treatment."
Archana Puran Singh's journey has now placed a spotlight on a condition that is often misunderstood, reminding many that resilience, awareness, and early medical attention can make a difference in life with CRPS.
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