IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 159 
Expressing the support of Congress for a National Complex Regional Pain 
Syndrome and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Awareness Month. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 24, 2007 
Mr. BISHOP of New York (for himself and Mr. KILDEE) submitted the fol-
lowing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the support of Congress for a National Complex 
Regional Pain Syndrome and Reflex Sympathetic Dys-
trophy Awareness Month. 
Whereas complex regional pain syndrome, also known as re-
flex sympathetic dystrophy, is a very painful, under-
diagnosed, and undertreated neurological syndrome that 
may result from simple trauma, infection, or surgery that 
can lead to disability; 
Whereas the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome is 
yet to be determined, the number of cases of such syn-
drome can be more than 1.5 million; 
Whereas the symptoms of complex regional pain syndrome in-
clude constant burning pain that is disproportionate to 
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•HCON 159 IH 
any inciting event, inflammation, muscle spasms, abnor-
mal skin temperature, and skin color changes; 
Whereas a recent Internet survey conducted by the Johns 
Hopkins School of Medicine and funded by the Reflex 
Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association revealed 
that complex regional pain syndrome is not only painful 
but adversely affects lives and livelihoods; 
Whereas there is no known cure for complex regional pain 
syndrome, but early and appropriate interdisciplinary 
treatment can achieve a restoration of function; and 
Whereas such treatment may prevent a case of early-onset 
complex regional pain syndrome from becoming intrac-
table, debilitating, and incredibly expensive to treat: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of a month to 
educate the public and medical professionals about 
the nature and impact of complex regional pain syn-
drome, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, 
and the importance of the early detection and proper 
treatment of such syndrome; 
(2) honors the goals and ideals and applauds 
the work of national and community organizations 
that promote public awareness about complex re-
gional pain syndrome and that provide information 
and support to people suffering with this syndrome; 
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(3) encourages health care providers to continue 
to increase their efforts to diagnose complex regional 
pain syndrome in its earliest possible stages to in-
crease the likelihood of remission; 
(4) supports increased funding for research to 
determine the causes of, and improved treatment 
and cure for, complex regional pain syndrome; and 
(5) continues to consider ways to improve ac-
cess to, and the quality of, health care services for 
detecting and treating complex regional pain syn-
drome. 
Æ 
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