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What is phantom limb pain?
Do amputees feel pain from a phantom limb?
What is Phantom Pain?
What is a phantom sensation?
Oct 19, 2023 · A phantom limb sensation is a sensation that feels as though it is coming from the lost limb of amputees. Amputees may feel a pain, an itch, or any other sensation in the non-existent limb, as if it is still present and attached.
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Feb 29, 2024 · Neuroscience Defined: Phantom Limbs. Published 29 Feb 2024. Source BrainFacts/SfN. Around 80% of people who’ve lost a limb experience phantom limb syndrome, a sometimes painful condition where people can still feel their lost arm or leg. Scientists aren’t entirely sure what causes phantom limb syndrome, but there are a few prominent theories.
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- Review Date 5/2/2022
After one of your limbs is amputated, you may feel as if the limb is still there. This is called phantom sensation. You may feel:
•Pain in your limb even though it is physically not there
•Tingly
•Prickly
•Numb
•Hot or cold
These feelings slowly get weaker. You should also feel them less often. They may not ever go away completely.
Pain in the missing part of the arm or leg is called phantom pain. You may feel:
•Sharp or shooting pain
•Achy pain
•Burning pain
•Cramping pain
Try to relax in a way that works for you. Do deep breathing or pretend to relax the missing arm or leg.
Reading, listening to music, or doing something that takes your mind off the pain may help. You may also try taking a warm bath if your surgery wound is completely healed.
Ask your health care provider if you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), or other medicines that help with pain.
The following may also help lessen phantom pain.
•Keep the remaining part of your arm or leg warm.
•Move or exercise the remaining part of your arm or leg.
Bang MS, Jung SH. Phantom limb pain. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 108.
Dinakar P. Pain management. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff’s Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022: chap 52.
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Updated by: Amit M. Shelat, DO, FACP, FAAN, Attending Neurologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Edito...
Jun 20, 2021 · If an amputee feels pain from a phantom limb, this is referred to as phantom limb pain. If an amputee feels sensations other than pain, this is referred to as phantom limb syndrome. What is the basis for these conditions?
- Michele L Lemons
- CrossRef
- 2021
- Spring 2021
A phantom limb is the sensation of feeling various things in a limb that is not there (e.g. a tingling sensation in an area where a limb no longer exists). There are multiple complications that could be caused in experiencing sensations in limbs that are no longer existent.
Phantom limb pain (PLP) is defined as "pain that is localised in the region of the removed body part". It is a poorly understood clinical phenomenon that remains the subject of intense research due to the acute and chronic nature of the condition.
Symptoms. Individuals with phantom limb pain describe the sensations as burning, stabbing or throbbing. Causes. Possible causes of phantom limb pain include: Memory of limb pain—Some researchers theorize that after a limb is damaged beyond repair, the brain is accustomed to feeling the pain.
