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| To enact sections 5.2239 and 3701.136 of the Revised | 1 |
| Code to designate November as "Complex Regional | 2 |
| Pain Syndrome Awareness Month" and to require the | 3 |
| Department of Health to include on its web site | 4 |
| information regarding the syndrome. | 5 |
| Section 1. That sections 5.2239 and 3701.136 of the Revised | 6 |
| Code be enacted to read as follows: | 7 |
| Sec. 5.2239. The month of November is designated as "Complex | 8 |
| Regional Pain Syndrome Awareness Month" to promote public | 9 |
| awareness of complex regional pain syndrome, also known as reflex | 10 |
| sympathetic dystrophy syndrome. | 11 |
| Sec. 3701.136. (A) As used in this section, "complex | 12 |
| regional pain syndrome" or "CRPS," also known as reflex | 13 |
| sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, means a debilitating and | 14 |
| progressively chronic syndrome characterized by severe burning | 15 |
| pain, pathological changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, | 16 |
| tissue swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch. | 17 |
| (B) The department of health shall include information on its | 18 |
| web site to promote complex regional pain syndrome education in a | 19 |
| manner that enables individuals to make informed decisions about | 20 |
| their health. The information on the web site shall include all | 21 |
| of the following: | 22 |
| (1) The cause and nature of CRPS; | 23 |
| (2) The risk factors that contribute to the manifestation of | 24 |
| CRPS; | 25 |
| (3) Available treatment options, including the risks and | 26 |
| benefits of those options; | 27 |
| (4) Information on environmental safety and injury | 28 |
| prevention; | 29 |
| (5) Information on rest and the use of appropriate body | 30 |
| mechanics; | 31 |
| (6) Information on the availability of CRPS diagnostic, | 32 |
| treatment, and outreach services; | 33 |
| (7) Information concerning any other factors or elements that | 34 |
| might mitigate the effects of CRPS. | 35 |
| (C) The department shall notify boards of health, hospitals, | 36 |
| clinics, and other health care providers about the availability of | 37 |
| information concerning CRPS on the department's web site. | 38 |
| Section 2. Section 3701.136 of the Revised Code, as enacted | 39 |
| by this act, shall take effect ninety days after the effective | 40 |
| date of this act. | 41 |
| Section 3. (A) As used in this section, "complex regional | 42 |
| pain syndrome" or "CRPS" has the same meaning as in section | 43 |
| 3701.136 of the Revised Code. | 44 |
| (B) The General Assembly finds and declares all of the | 45 |
| following with respect to complex regional pain syndrome: | 46 |
| (1) CRPS occurs in five per cent of all cases of nerve | 47 |
| injuries. | 48 |
| (2) CRPS is thought to be a neuropathic pain syndrome that | 49 |
| generally occurs at the site of a minor or major trauma injury, | 50 |
| but may also occur without an apparent injury. | 51 |
| (3) While the cause of CRPS is unknown, the syndrome is | 52 |
| thought to be the result of damaged nerves of the sympathetic | 53 |
| nervous system. | 54 |
| (4) The syndrome is unique in that it simultaneously affects | 55 |
| the nerves, skin, muscles, blood vessels, and bones, and if | 56 |
| untreated, can result in permanent disability and chronic pain. | 57 |
| (5) CRPS is often misdiagnosed because the syndrome is either | 58 |
| unknown or poorly understood. The prognosis for patients | 59 |
| suffering from CRPS is generally much better when CRPS is | 60 |
| identified and treated as early as possible. | 61 |
| (6) If treatment is delayed CRPS can quickly spread to an | 62 |
| entire limb and changes in bone and muscle may become | 63 |
| irreversible, resulting in limited mobility, atrophy of the | 64 |
| muscles, and eventual permanent disability. | 65 |
| (7) Since a delay in the diagnosis or treatment of CRPS can | 66 |
| result in severe physical and physiological problems, and early | 67 |
| recognition and prompt treatment of CRPS provides the greatest | 68 |
| opportunity for recovery, it is in the best interest of the | 69 |
| public to require the Department of Health to include information | 70 |
| on its web site pursuant to section 3701.136 of the Revised Code | 71 |
| to educate both individuals and medical professionals regarding | 72 |
| this debilitative condition. | 73 |
| Section 4. This act shall be known and may be cited as the | 74 |
| "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Education Act." | 75 |