They will develop a treatment plan to help you overcome this hurdle. If you are experiencing phantom limb pain after amputation, talk to your doctor, prosthetist, or physical therapist about your unique experience.
Amputee phantom pain management denver skin#
Having a prosthesis that is properly fit and maintained, and preventing skin irritation on the residual limb are good steps in the right direction.
There also are some nervous system treatments and mobile apps that could help retrain the brain, to stop the mixed signals. Other patients see improvement from treatments involving the residual limb - physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, good stump management, and proper prosthetic care. Medications will not remove all pain, but should allow you to do more during the day and sleep better at night. For some people, over-the-counter pain relievers are enough, or perhaps prescription drugs like muscle relaxers, beta blockers, or antidepressants. Treatment will depend on how much pain you experience. What is the treatment for phantom limb pain? However, some amputees do experience a slower onset and/or a longer struggle. For many people, it begins immediately after amputation and the severe pain is resolved after the first 4-6 months. Doctors don’t have the answer yet, except to say that the brain and nerves behave unpredictably after something as traumatic as an amputation. Other theories look at demographics like age and gender. One theory suggests that if the limb had long-term pain before the amputation, it is more likely to result in phantom limb pain after. Why do some amputees get phantom limb pain, and others don’t? It often does cause psychological distress, including anxiety and depression from a lower quality of life. There are several theories about its causes, many involving the nerve endings at the site of the amputation, and neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Phantom limb pain may be “in your head” literally, but not proverbially. Clonazepam is a drug used to prevent and treat panic disorders, anxiety, akathisia (a movement disorder), and seizures. However, there are no known studies that confirmed this report until now. In 1996, there were reports of clonazepam's efficacy as a treatment for phantom limb pain. Between 60-80% of amputees experience it. Clonazepam: An Alternative Phantom Limb Pain Treatment.
Phantom limb pain can range from tingling or pins and needles to a terrible crushing, twisting, burning, or shooting pain. This isn’t to be confused with “phantom sensation,” which is a pain-free feeling such as the limb moving or having an itch, common among all amputees. To have “phantom limb pain” is to feel pain localized to a removed body part, as though the part is still there. Here is the truth about phantom limb pain after amputation. Someone experiencing this phenomenon will undoubtedly have questions they need answered. It is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning it is diagnosed after all other possibilities are ruled out, such as infection, skin breakdown, nerve injury, poor circulation, bone abnormality, or improper prosthetic fit. Medical scientists have some, but not all, of the answers about phantom limb pain.
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