Observed on the first Monday in November, Color The World Orange Day is dedicated to raising awareness of CRPS/RSD. CRPS stands for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and RSD stands for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.

This condition involves intensified nerve impulses being sent to affected parts of the body, which medical experts believe might result from a dysfunction of the peripheral or central nervous systems. Symptoms vary from one person to another, but individuals usually experience prolonged, severe burning pain that hurts more than the initial injury.

The History of Color The World Orange Day

Color The World Orange Day was initially started in 2014 as a way to spread awareness about CRPS/RSD. Since little is known about this condition, spreading awareness can hopefully lead to better treatments in the future.

About CRPS/RSD

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also sometimes known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), is a condition often characterized by continuous intense pain that sometimes feels like burning.

The pain is out of proportion to the severity of the original injury. Other symptoms can include changes in temperature or skin color of the affected body part, skin sensitivity, swelling, decreased mobility, and changes in nail or hair growth.

Observing Color The World Orange Day

Color The World Orange Day can be observed simply by wearing the color orange for the day. This can be an orange shirt, an orange hat, or some other bright orange-colored article of clothing. You can then take a picture of yourself wearing this orange outfit and post it to social media using the hashtag #CRPSOrangeDay or #ColorTheWorldOrangeDay.

If you want to be more proactive on this day, you can send a letter to your local mayor or governor asking them to make a proclamation naming November as CRPS/RSD Awareness Month. You can also ask local businesses to hang signs showing their support for this holiday. You can talk to your local TV station or newspaper and have them run a story about CRPS/RSD.

Events can also be planned at your local school. On this day, both students and teachers can wear orange, and the school newspaper can publish an article about CRPS/RSD. You can also plan a bake sale (if the school allows bake sales) and donate the proceeds to a CRPS/RSD non-profit organization.

If you or one of your children is in college, you can get your fraternity or sorority involved in raising awareness about CRPS/RSD or raising money for non-profit organizations that provide services to people affected by this condition. Other ideas for observing this holiday include giving out orange ribbons for people to tie around trees, making orange cookies or cupcakes to give to friends, and posting CRPS/RSD facts on social media. There’s a way for everyone to get involved in this holiday.