130th Ohio General Assembly
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Am. S. B. No. 40  As Enrolled
(129th General Assembly)
(Amended Senate Bill Number 40)



AN ACT
To enact sections 5.2271 and 3701.137 of the Revised Code to designate November as "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Awareness Month" and to require the Department of Health to include on its web site information regarding the syndrome.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That sections 5.2271 and 3701.137 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 5.2271. The month of November is designated as "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Awareness Month" to promote public awareness of complex regional pain syndrome, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome.

Sec. 3701.137.  (A) As used in this section, "complex regional pain syndrome" or "CRPS," also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, means a debilitating and progressively chronic syndrome characterized by severe burning pain, pathological changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch.

(B) The department of health shall include information on its internet web site to promote complex regional pain syndrome education in a manner that enables individuals to make informed decisions about their health. The information on the web site shall include all of the following:

(1) Emerging research regarding the pathophysiology of CRPS;

(2) The risk factors that contribute to the manifestation of CRPS;

(3) Available treatment options, including the risks and benefits of those options;

(4) Information on environmental safety and injury prevention;

(5) Information on rest and the use of appropriate body mechanics;

(6) Information on the availability of diagnostic, treatment, and outreach services for CRPS;

(7) Information concerning any other factors or elements that might mitigate the effects of CRPS.

(C) The department shall notify boards of health, hospitals, clinics, and other health care providers about the availability of information concerning CRPS on the department's web site.

SECTION 2. Section 3701.137 of the Revised Code, as enacted by this act, shall take effect ninety days after the effective date of this act.

SECTION 3. (A) As used in this section, "complex regional pain syndrome" or "CRPS" has the same meaning as in section 3701.137 of the Revised Code.

(B) The General Assembly finds and declares all of the following with respect to complex regional pain syndrome:

(1) CRPS occurs in five per cent of all cases of nerve injuries.

(2) CRPS is thought to be a neuropathic pain syndrome that generally occurs at the site of a minor or major trauma injury, but may also occur without an apparent injury.

(3) While the cause of CRPS is unknown, both the peripheral and central nervous systems are involved.

(4) The syndrome is unique in that it simultaneously affects the nerves, skin, muscles, blood vessels, and bones, and if untreated, can result in permanent disability and chronic pain.

(5) CRPS is often misdiagnosed because the syndrome is either unknown or poorly understood. The prognosis for patients suffering from CRPS is generally much better when CRPS is identified and treated as early as possible.

(6) If treatment is delayed, CRPS can quickly spread to an entire limb and changes in bone and muscle may become irreversible, resulting in limited mobility, atrophy of the muscles, and eventual permanent disability.

(7) Since a delay in the diagnosis or treatment of CRPS can result in severe physical and physiological problems, and early recognition and prompt treatment of CRPS provides the greatest opportunity for recovery, it is in the best interest of the public to require the Department of Health to include information on its internet web site pursuant to section 3701.137 of the Revised Code to educate both individuals and medical professionals regarding this debilitative condition.

SECTION 4. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Education Act."

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