[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 200 (Friday, November 27, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1071-E1072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER AS COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KATHLEEN M. RICE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 27, 2020

  Miss RICE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
November as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Awareness Month and to join 
my colleagues in Congress and individuals around the United States and 
the world in recognizing the unique hardships faced by those living 
with chronic pain.
  Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a rare neurological disorder 
that causes significant chronic or acute pain, most often in

[[Page E1072]]

the arms or legs. According to the National Organization for Rare 
Disorders, it is estimated that there are as many as 200,000 people in 
the United States who are affected by CRPS each year. While many of 
these individuals do eventually recover, its effects can last for 
months or years, and for those with more severe forms of the disorder, 
CRPS can cause long-term disability.
  Although our country has made great progress in diagnosing and 
treating CRPS, we have so much more to learn about this little-
understood disorder and other rare conditions that cause chronic pain. 
That is why I am proud to support the great work of the National 
Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders 
and Stroke, and the lnstitute's Brain Resources and Information Network 
(BRAIN) program.
  In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, we must recognize the 
significant additional hardships that many of our fellow citizens face 
due to CRPS and other rare diseases. On November 2nd, New York 
landmarks from Nassau County to Niagara Falls were lit up in orange in 
honor of those living with CRPS. Please join me in recognizing November 
as CRPS Awareness Month to spread further awareness of CRPS and those 
that it affects.