Phantom Limbs Case Studies

Birbaumer, Lutzenberger, Montoya, and Wolfgang (1997) examined the functional relationship between cortical reorganization and phantom limb pain. Neuroelectric source imaging was used to determine changes in cortical reorganization in the somatosensory cortex after anesthesia of an amputation stump produced by brachial plexus blockage in six phantom limb pain patients and four pain-free amputees. This cortical reorganization was studied to examine whether the neurons rewired after the loss of an appendage. Three of the phantom limb subjects experienced a virtual elimination of current phantom pain. The Biraumber et al., (1997) result of the anesthesia was a very rapid elimination of cortical reorganization in the somatosensory cortex. In three phantom-limb-pain amputees pain was not reduced by brachial

Kathy, a 20-year-old woman, awakens one morning to a tingling, numb sensation covering both of her feet. This has happened to her a number of times throughout the year. In the past, when experiencing this sensation, within a couple of days to a week the numbness would subside, and so she is not too concerned. About a week later, she

Was intact to primary modalities with no extinction on double simultaneous stimulation. He did have a subjectively decreased sensation on the right arm and leg compared to the left.

Cases of ‘phantom limbs’, ‘disappearing phantom limbs’ and ‘positional phantoms’ are a well-written about phenomena. Dr. Sacks describes how sensory messages can be sent to the phantom limbs, causing a neurological condition.

The phantom limb pain the woman is experiencing is described as a painful condition of the amputated limb after the stump has completely healed. It is a chronic pain that occurs in more than 80% of amputees especially those who suffered pain in the limb before the amputation. Theories suggest that phantom limb pain results from redevelopment or hyperactivity of cut peripheral nerves, scar tissue or neuroma formation in the cut peripheral nerves, spinal cord deafferentation, and alterations in the thalamus and cortex. More so, the CNS integration, which involves reorganization and plastic modifications of the somatosensory cortex, effects the receptors in perceiving the pain of the amputated limb despite of the limb itself being absent. In addition,

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.

For my final paper topic, I have chosen to discuss phantom limb pain. I was inspired to write about phantom limb pain after a recent visit to the Veterans Affairs hospital. I will be explaining the physiological aspects, including involvements of nerves, spinal cord, and the brain, as well as the psychological aspects, including grief, stress, depression and anxiety of phantom limb pain. According to Goldstein (2010), phantom limb pain is a phenomenon that a person whose limb has been amputated continues to experience the sensation of the limb (p.344). Along with the sensation of the amputated limb, patients can also experience pain, tingling, numbness, and temperature changes. People who were born without a limb can also experience phantom

Phantom Limb Pain (PLP) is a serious condition that occurs when a person who has lost a part of their body though amputation, trauma (brachial plexus), or loss of nervous connections in an appendage, perceives that the limb is still there and experiences sensations coming from this area. It was first described in 1866 by S. Weir Mitchell, an American neurologist, through a short story published in Atlantic Monthly. While Mitchell may then have wondered if this was specific to wounded Civil War soldiers, it has since been established as quite common (1). Over 70% of amputees report phantom limb pain for years after amputation (2). Several theories have been proposed regarding PLP, although there is still much to be

The earliest hypothesis regarding the cause of phantom limbs and pain was that of neuromas. These were thought to be nodules comprised of remaining nerves located at the end of the stump. These neuromas presumably continued to generate impulses that traveled up the spinal cord to portions of the thalamus and somatosensory domains of the cortex. As a result, treatment involved cutting the nerves just above the neuroma in an attempt to interrupt signaling at each somatosensory level (5). This and other related theories were deemed unsatisfactory because of the fact the phantom pain always returned, indicating that there was a more complex reason.

The trouble may start in a part of the brain known as the sensory cortex. The sensory cortex is the portion of your brain that processes sensations from the rest of your body. It is hypothesized that when a body part is lost, the corresponding part of the brain is not able to handle the loss and rewires its circuitry to make up for the signals it no longer receives from the missing extremity. The exact mechanism of how phantom limb

He has mysterious tingling numbness in his arms—all representative of his inability to feel in real life.

Sacks discussed the ideas behind the phantom limb and how they affected many peoples live. The most interesting story was about a sailor that accidentally cut off his index finger. For forty years he thought he would poke himself in the eye whenever he moved his hand to his face. One day he lost the feeling in his entire hand including his phantom finger and his problem was cured (Sacks 66-67). Up to 70 percent of amputees confirmed that they still feel or still thought a missing limb was there. They often feel that they can reach out and grab something. Some won't sleep in a certain way because they feel the missing limb between them and the mattress. The sensations felt stem from the activity of the sensory axons

An extensive matrix of neurons in the brain gives us the sense of our own bodies and body parts. Pain results when this matrix produces an abnormal pattern of activity, as a result of memories, emotions, expectations or signals from various brain centres and not just from signals from peripheral nerves. Because of the lack of sensory stimulation or a person’s efforts to move a nonexistent limb, abnormal patterns may arise, resulting in phantom pain.

Have you been suffering from a condition the same as numbness, pain, or perhaps a weakness in the surrounding parts of your hands?

Phantom limb pain is a painful sensation experienced in a body part which is no longer part of the body, often due to amputation.(3) Individuals also reported that tingling as well as various types of pain have occurred, and these sensations may eventually disappear or may persist as cramping, shooting, burning or crushing