Phantom Pain a Haunting Problem
It is estimated that one out of every 200 people in the U.S. has had an amputation. Whether the amputation has occurred by a planned surgical procedure to cope with disease or it has occurred by a traumatic accident, persistent pain in the stump or "phantom" body part, is commonly experienced by most amputees.
In fact, 60-70% of new amputees experience some form of phantom pain and 40% continue to suffer after the first year. Surgical physicians agree "it is complex, resistant to treatment, and very frustrating to amputees and caregivers alike."
Phantom pain is not simply the feeling of having a limb or digit where the amputated part once was. It is the term used for "any sensation or pain originating from a residual stump." According to articles published by the Amputee Coalition of America, the cut nerve can still experience anything that the amputated part could have experienced when it was intact.
The nerve sends this "message of pain" to the sensory cortex, where the pain is "felt" by the individual. The level of pain can vary by degrees, depending on the individual; Sensations rang from tingling, cramping, and constriction to phantom warmth, cold, and chronic stabbing pain.
Phantom pain can seriously impact an individual's quality of life, contributing to the challenge of coping with a lost limb. Some cases are wholly disabling, affecting an amputee's mobility, capacity to work, and the ability to perform simple daily routines.
In turn, phantom pain syndrome complicates the long and costly process of rehabilitation. Many different factors can cause on-going phantom pain suffering, including inadequate aftercare physical therapy to encourage good circulation, persistent physical and emotional stress, periodic illnesses, and incorrect surgical procedures performed during the initial amputation.
Unplanned amputations, such as those resulting from car accidents or accidents at work, is another factor that can complicate rehabilitation. In these cases it is possible that the performing surgeon lacks proper experience with the removal of limbs or other body parts. In regions where amputations are uncommon, inadequate physical and emotional aftercare strategies may be put into place, causing many problems for amputees even years after the trauma.
Victims of phantom pain syndrome can require expensive pain management therapies and powerful medications, which can lead to additional medical conditions such as drug dependency, drug side effects, and depression.
It is estimated that one out of every 200 people in the U.S. has had an amputation. Whether the amputation has occurred by a planned surgical procedure to cope with disease or it has occurred by a traumatic accident, persistent pain in the stump or "phantom" body part, is commonly experienced by most amputees.
In fact, 60-70% of new amputees experience some form of phantom pain and 40% continue to suffer after the first year. Surgical physicians agree "it is complex, resistant to treatment, and very frustrating to amputees and caregivers alike."
Phantom pain is not simply the feeling of having a limb or digit where the amputated part once was. It is the term used for "any sensation or pain originating from a residual stump." According to articles published by the Amputee Coalition of America, the cut nerve can still experience anything that the amputated part could have experienced when it was intact.
The nerve sends this "message of pain" to the sensory cortex, where the pain is "felt" by the individual. The level of pain can vary by degrees, depending on the individual; Sensations rang from tingling, cramping, and constriction to phantom warmth, cold, and chronic stabbing pain.
Phantom pain can seriously impact an individual's quality of life, contributing to the challenge of coping with a lost limb. Some cases are wholly disabling, affecting an amputee's mobility, capacity to work, and the ability to perform simple daily routines.
In turn, phantom pain syndrome complicates the long and costly process of rehabilitation. Many different factors can cause on-going phantom pain suffering, including inadequate aftercare physical therapy to encourage good circulation, persistent physical and emotional stress, periodic illnesses, and incorrect surgical procedures performed during the initial amputation.
Unplanned amputations, such as those resulting from car accidents or accidents at work, is another factor that can complicate rehabilitation. In these cases it is possible that the performing surgeon lacks proper experience with the removal of limbs or other body parts. In regions where amputations are uncommon, inadequate physical and emotional aftercare strategies may be put into place, causing many problems for amputees even years after the trauma.
Victims of phantom pain syndrome can require expensive pain management therapies and powerful medications, which can lead to additional medical conditions such as drug dependency, drug side effects, and depression.
