Phantom Limb Pain Case Studies

What does it feel like to have a missing/paralyzed limb? I'm sure this question has popped into many of our heads at one point in time. You would think that the sensations and feelings from that limb would disappear altogether. However, for some people, they can still feel the presence of their limb even after it is gone. There is no clear answer as to why this happens, but one thing is for certain. A large percentage of people with phantom limbs will sometimes feel pain from that missing limb. There is nothing happening to the individual physically that would cause them to feel pain from their phantom limb. What is actually happening is that the nerves that are located at the area of amputation (the "stump") are sending signals to the brain, which tricks the brain into believing that the missing limb is still there. It is hypothesized that the brain may also interpret these signals as pain. I found this to be an interesting topic, as it gives a good example as to how our brains and nervous systems work when interpreting changes in the body.

There have been investigations into phantom limb pain and Jensen found that about seventy two percent of reported feeling pain eight days after they had an amputation, not only that but he also found that six months after the amputation sixty eight percent of amputees reported pain that never went away in relation to their amputated body part (Katz). There are many theories as to why people who have had to have procedures to amputate a body part in order to relive them from the pain still experience that same pain they did before the body part was amputated. Two reasons that have been discussed as to why these people still feel pain are due to central factor and peripheral

With conflicting research and hardly valid data, to say that phantom limb syndrome is solely caused based on psychogenic mechanism of the patient is inaccurate. More recent research has strongly suggested peripheral mechanism to also be a factor in phantom limb syndrome. Once amputation of a limb or part of a limb is performed, a neuroma is created. Neuromas result from a trauma to the nerve and are typically formed on the site of an inquired sensory nerve, forming a knot in the area. The knot is mainly composed of axons that can no longer reconnect to the rest of the nerve cells due to amputation . These neuromas are the site where increased excitability due to an increased accumulation of molecules (recent research, scientist are not quite

This summary for the final paper will discuss phantom limb pain, including the psychological and physiological causes, effects and the treatment options for phantom limb pain. When a limb is lost whether to traumatic amputation, disease, surgical amputation, or a congenital defect the amputee may experience sensations that the affected limb is still present. Some of the most common sensations that an amputee can experience are tingling, throbbing, piercing, pins and needles, resulting in what is perceived as pain in the missing limb. The exact causes of the phantom limb pain that many amputees experience is still relatively unknown, however, there are three main theories that are seek to explain the sensation of pain in the missing limb/limbs.

Phantom limb pain (PLP) affects many individuals who have had a limb amputated. Individuals can experience pain in the residual limb, phantom sensations, and phantom limb pain. Pain in the residual limb is defined as pain at the site of an extremity amputation. This means the individual feels pain just above or at the location of the amputation (Hill, 1999). This type of pain is most common in the early post-amputation phase. Phantom sensations are defined as any sensation of the missing limb except pain. Phantom sensation is seen in almost all amputees (Hill, 1999). Phantom limb pain is defined as painful sensations referred to the absent limb (Hill, 1999). In this review of literature the following will be addressed; the triggers of phantom limb pain, the types of treatment for phantom limb pain, and a summary of findings.

To prevent the risk of developing phantom limb pain, doctors suggest the use of regional anesthesia through spinal or epidural few hours or days leading to the amputation. By doing this procedure, it might help to reduce the pain before the surgery hence reducing the risk of lasting phantom limb pain. Most amputees that have phantom pain, often feels to them as if they’re stuck in their last action with that limb. The mirror clears and retained memories of limb position from the brain. It is also helps neurons start making new connections in the brain.

The phenomenon known as the phantom limb occurs in 95-100% of amputees. It can occur soon after amputation or occur years later. It is when patients feel sensations where the arm or leg used to be as if it were still there. These sensations can be either non-painful sensations or painful sensations, which are called phantom limb pain. These non-painful sensations are described as similar feels as if the limb were there such as warmth, tingling, itching, and movement. Phantom limb pain is described as stabbing, cramping, burning and shooting pain. Non-painful sensations usually occur soon after amputation and continue throughout life. It has been found that the strongest sites for

present an overview of the Peripheral nerve injury, its pathology, types, and the various methods

Mirrors are being used in places like Iraq by Doctor Jack Tsoa to treat wounded war veterans. The doctor uses the mirror to try and get rid of phantom limb pain. Phantom limb pain can happen when some gets there leg amputated and the nerve endings send messages to the brain telling them that their leg is there and that it hurts.

There are many ways to treat Phantom limb pain, but the few that can possibly relieve pain for the patient. Those include Injection of pain killing medications, anesthetics or steroids into the stump which can then provide relief, brain stimulation can also provide relief depending on the individual and there’s nerve stimulation and if used properly can relieve pain because it interrupts or masks pain signals and prevents it from reaching your brain, but this can only provide temporary relieve just like most of these treatments. Depending on the individual these treatments can help relieve pain but each person is

I am interested in the study of phantom limbs because it is an interesting phenomena where someone can feel something that is not there. In the module 3 quiz and the reading for that quiz this topic was introduced to me and it intrigued my interest. It is also really intriguing that they sometimes feel pain related to their incidents before or during surgical and nonsurgical amputations(where it was removed by the incident or afterwards by a surgeon). I feel that it would be particularly interesting if someone's pain was directly connected to the last moments of that limb being attached where neurons were responding to what was going on. Another question that is on my mind about this topic is that what if the phantom limb experience is

More than two thirds of amputees develop phantom limb pain (PLP). For this reason, there is much needed research to find an effective way to relieve this type of pain. Unlike any other pain such as nociceptive pain, phantom pain is tricky to treat with medication. There are other studies that have been done using mirror therapy and showed its significances in reducing phantom pain. However, there seem to be lack of research in the comparison in the effectivity of pain reduction with using pharmaceuticals versus mirror therapy. The purpose is the compare the two types of pain reducers and find their effectivity. The study is a randomized control trail that will be conducted at an outpatient facility. There will be 60 subjects who

One point I found interesting about this article was the number of patients that experience this sensation and how soon they can suffer from pain. According to Kim and Kim (2012) more than 50-85% of phantom limb pain develops after amputation and patients can acquire pain within 24 hours of the amputation. There are different types of medications and treatments than an amputee might have to test before they can discover one that helps minimize the

Phantom limb syndrome is an extraordinary condition that is caused by amputating a limb or being born without a limb (Flor, 2002); This condition affects approximately 80% to 90% of patients who have had a limb amputated (Flor, 2002). The first documented case of phantom limb syndrome was in the mid 16th century (Nikolajsen & Jensen, 2001). The description was given by a French military surgeon by the name of Ambroise Paré (1510–1590) when he noticed that some of his injured patients would express that they were experiencing extreme pain in their missing limb (Nikolajsen & Jensen, 2001). He studied and wrote down the characterizations of this post-amputation state and attempted to create different models to explain how the phantom pain was

Phantom limb pain occurs in an arm or leg following an amputation. It is pain in an extremity that no longer exists. This pain varies with different patients. Different activities may cause the pain. Some people with an amputated limb experience the opposite of phantom pain, which is phantom pleasure.