What Is CRPS? Archana Puran Singh’s Condition Explained, How To Reduce Risk And Who Else Has It
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Archana Puran Singh’s CRPS diagnosis highlights a rare, life-altering pain disorder. Here’s what Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is, who else has it and how it can be managed.
CRPS cannot be completely prevented. (Photo Credit: Instagram)
Chronic pain is often dismissed as something that fades with time. For some patients, it does the opposite. Actor Archana Puran Singh has now brought attention to one such condition after her son, Ayushmaan Sethi, revealed that she was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, or CRPS, following a wrist injury last year.
The injury occurred on the sets of Vicky Vidya Ka Wo Wala Video in 2025. What should have healed turned permanent. Her hand never fully recovered. Yet, Ayushmaan shared that Archana continued to work through intense pain, juggling films, a web series, and even launching her YouTube channel in her early sixties.
The emotional post struck a chord, but it also raised questions about a disorder many have never heard of.
What Is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?
According to studies published by the National Institutes of Health, CRPS is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder where pain is far more severe and long-lasting than expected after an injury.
The pain doesn’t follow a specific nerve path and often continues long after the original tissue damage has healed. CRPS usually affects an arm or a leg and may develop after fractures, surgery or even minor trauma. In rare cases, doctors are unable to identify a clear trigger at all.
Celebrities Who Have Spoken About Living With CRPS
Archana Puran Singh is not alone. Grammy-winning singer and former American Idol judge Paula Abdul has lived with CRPS for decades. Her condition began after a cheerleading neck injury at the age of 17 and worsened following later accidents. Abdul has repeatedly described the pain as relentless and life-shaping.
Reality TV personality and former cheerleader Barby Ingle developed CRPS after a car accident in 2002. She has since become an outspoken advocate for CRPS awareness and patient rights.
Another lesser-known case is Constance Marley, who was diagnosed with CRPS after a fall more than a decade ago. Her struggle was highlighted by her son, chef Charles Mattocks, in the 2016 documentary Trial by Fire.
Can CRPS Be Prevented Or Avoided?
CRPS cannot be completely prevented because its exact cause remains unclear. But doctors say risk can be reduced, especially after fractures, surgery or trauma.
Studies suggest taking 500 mg of vitamin C daily for about 50 days after wrist fractures or similar injuries may reduce the risk of developing CRPS by more than 50 per cent. Early movement also matters. Prolonged immobilisation increases risk, while gentle use of the affected limb under medical supervision helps normalise nerve signals.
Other measures include elevating injured limbs, using compression to control swelling, and applying light stimulation such as massage around the injury site. In surgical settings, shorter tourniquet use, minimally invasive techniques and early mobilisation programmes may further lower risk.
CRPS is not fatal. But it can permanently reshape a life. Awareness, early diagnosis and timely care remain the strongest tools patients have against a condition that often hides behind the label of “just pain.”
Delhi, India, India
January 13, 2026, 15:34 IST
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