is a phantom sensation in
Amputated or missing
Limbs . A phantom sensation is a feeling that a missing limb is still attached to the
Body and is moving appropriately with other body parts. Approximately 50 to 80% of
Amputees experience these phantom sensations in their amputated limb. Phantom sensations and phantom pain may also occur after the removal of body parts other than the limbs, e.g. after amputation of the breast, extraction of a tooth (phantom tooth pain) or removal of an eye (
Phantom Eye Syndrome ).
Phantom pains can also occur in people who are
Born Without Limbs and people who are
Paralyzed . Phantom pains occur when the missing limb causes
Discomfort . Some other sensations include
Warmth ,
Cold ,
Itching ,
Squeezing and
Burning . The missing limb often feels shorter and may feel as if it is in a distorted and painful position. Occasionally, the pain can be made worse by
Stress ,
Anxiety and
Weather changes.
Some treatments include
Drugs such as
Antidepressants .
Spinal Cord stimulation (SCS) can be a very effective treatment for phantom pain. An
Electrical stimulator is implanted under the
Skin , and an
Electrode is placed next to the spinal cord. The
Nerve pathways in the spinal cord are stimulated by an
Electric Current . This interferes with the impulses travelling towards the
Brain and lessens the pain felt in the phantom limb. Instead, amputees feel a tingling sensation in the phantom limb.
Vibration Therapy ,
Acupuncture ,
Hypnosis and
Biofeedback may all be used to treat phantom pain but are often of little help. The pain can sometimes be helped by keeping busy and occupying your mind. Massaging the stump can sometimes help.
The pain can often be prevented by the application of not only a
General but also a
Local Anaesthesia while amputating a limb.
