Phantom Limb Syndrome
What is Phantom Limb Syndrome?
Phantom Limb pain refers to pain in the area where a limb has been amputated
David Tran
Facts
Photos
- Although not all phantom limb syndromes are painful, some may itch
- Tim Pons showed that the brain can recognize if sensory input is cut off
- Phantom Limb sensations could be due to crosswiring in the somatosensory cortex
- VirtuaL Reality has recently been ued to treat Phantom Limb Syndrome
Bibliography
Treatment
- Treatment is difficult
- Treatment depends on level of pain
- Multiple treatments can be combined
Causes
- Although the limb is no longer there, nerve endings continue to send signals to the brain
- The brain still thinks the limb is there
- Sometimes the brain still retains memories of pain, regardless of signals
- Heat treatment
- Biofeedback to reduce tension
- Relaxation techniques
- Massage of the amputation area
- Steroids
- Nerve blocks
- Surgery to remove scar tissue entangling a nerve
- Physical therapy
- TENS
- Neurostimulation techniques
- Medications
- Antidepressants
- Lin, Peter, COLIN JENNETT, and "phantom Limb." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. "Phantom Limb." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 2005. Web. 20 May 2015.
- "Phantom Limb Pain After Amputation: Causes & Treatments." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 20 May 2015.
- "What Is a Phantom Limb?" News-Medical.net. 18 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 May 2015.
Surgery to remove scar tissue
Cool facts
- Even a non-amputee when knives are jabbed into nonexistent hands
- It was described by Anbroise Pare in 1552, when he noted that soldiers complained of pain where they had been amputated
- May lead to depression