A teenager suffers "fire-like" pain doctors have compared to childbirth and suffers three-hour seizures as a result of a rare condition .

After Moana Ruhfass sprained her ankle as a sporty child, she later suffered pain in her leg, hips and shoulder.

This crippling agony remained undiagnosed for some time until, at 11, Moana was told she had Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

It is a neurological malfunction of the central nervous system that results in burning, stabbing, shooting and throbbing pain.

It's so painful it has been dubbed "suicide disease" as 40% of sufferers take their own lives. In fact, the McGill Pain Scale measures the pain of CRPS sufferers as being even worse than childbirth.

• 
  'Heart transplant saved me from certain death – then my fiancée died 48 hours before we were to marry'

• 
  Brave toddler shouts 'me walk, me walk' after defying doctors to take first steps

But Moana, now 16 and from Australia, battles the condition bravely.

"I also feel pain like someone is constantly stabbing me, pain like it's lightning striking and painful pins and needles," she said today.

"It can get to the point where I can't even stand the wind on my skin or moving at all.

"I sometimes can't even shower my foot because even a drop of water would have me screaming."

• 
  Woman nearly dies after contraceptive pill causes her to gasp for air and faint

Moana's condition deteriorated to the point she became confined in a wheelchair in 2013, reports Daily Mail Australia .

She spent 10 excruciating hours a day in physiotherapy, as therapists tried to desensitise and reset the pain perception in her neuro pathway.

The therapy was partially successful, and enabled her to walk again, however, the unbearable pain she experiences remained constant.

However Moana added: "I have good and bad days. On my good days I still have constant pain but I get used to it and manage it.

"But on my bad days I can't even bear someone touching me. The weight of a blanket and lying down hurts but it's better than being on my feet."

Moana's father Manfred said her emotional and physical wellbeing is slowly deteriorating.

"Within the last year that she has now lost all hope of recovery or improvement of her situation – she is losing the will to live," he said.

And her dad is desperate for Moana to attend a clinic in Arkanas, US, to help treat the condition.

The treatment, though, costs AUD$65,000 (£34,000).

The family has set up a Go Fund Me account to raise money for the costly treatment, and have so far raised $26,000 (£13,730).

Source: Read Full Article