What does hand swelling feel like with complex regional pain syndrome?

With complex regional pain syndrome, swelling can make the fingers feel tight inside rings or make the hand feel heavy and difficult to move. The skin may be very sensitive to light touch, and pain can seem stronger than expected after an injury or procedure. The hand may look red, pale, or blotchy and may feel warmer or cooler than the other side. Stiffness, sweating changes, and altered hair or nail growth can occur as the condition affects pain signalling and local circulation. Swelling alone has many possible causes, so these associated features help guide assessment.

Remove tight jewellery early if the hand is enlarging, and keep a simple record of swelling, colour, temperature, pain sensitivity, and movement. Follow the movement plan given by your clinician; gentle, regular use is often more manageable than forcing a stiff joint. Arrange assessment if swelling persists, sensitivity is increasing, or hand movement is becoming limited. Do not massage a very painful or newly swollen hand without advice.

Seek urgent care for rapidly increasing swelling, severe pain with a cold or discoloured hand, new loss of sensation or movement, fever, spreading redness, or drainage from a wound. After an injury or procedure, sudden worsening should be reported promptly. Early review can check for infection, circulation problems, or another condition needing different treatment.

Could the swelling and sensitivity fit complex regional pain syndrome or another cause? How should I protect movement without aggravating pain? Which changes in colour or temperature matter? Can hand therapy help? What should I do if the swelling suddenly increases?