Phantom Pain in Amputees: A Strange Phenomenon and a Strange New Treatment
March 19, 2008 by Liberty Kontranowski
Filed under Endurance, Extreme, Health, Oddities, Pain, Prevention, Psychology, Treatment, disability
Phantom pain felt by amputees in their missing limbs is nothing new. This bizarre phenomenon has been around since at least the Civil War era. But as the U.S. marks its fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, we are finally seeing the emergence of a new and very unlikely source of phantom pain therapy: mirrors.
That’s right, mirrors. Dr. Jack Tsao, a Navy neurologist with the Uniform Services University remembered reading a paper in grad school which concluded that using a mirror to cast a reflection of the amputee’s remaining limb - which the amputee flexes and moves - tricks the brain into thinking the missing limb is still present. This is an incredibly important treatment discovery since phantom pain is rarely cured or effectively controlled with medication. What’s more, a staggering 95 percent of amputees experience some form of phantom limb pain.
While no one really knows the exact cause behind phantom limb pain, current thinking is that the neurons which control leg movement are still in place, but in the absence of a limb, become “confused”, and fire randomly. The brain receives mismatched signals between those visual neurons (which know the leg is not there) and the neurons in charge of the body’s ability to sense a limb’s positioning (which thinks the limb is still there), and somehow the brain is not able to sort these conflicting messages out. The result is a sensation that the limb is frozen or in pain.
So far, Dr. Tsao has treated over 550 amputees, with 100 to 125 patients there any given day.
It’s so great to hear stories like this and to know that sometimes science and health can actually be simple.
Kelly Townsend
Vilayanur S. Ramachandran
Mirror Box
Yes, exactly hypersomnitron. The original paper was by Ramachandran, but to not confuse things too much within my post, I focused on Dr. Tsao’s usage of this theory.
Thanks so much for being on top of things and for stopping by The Bolt.
I am interested in the studies carried out on phantom pain as a severe sufferer of this condition since 1985.
There is a literature review on my website that touched very lightly on the subject and recommends further studies to test the effects of exercise on phantom pain are warrented.
Has anybody done studies on this?
I would be prepared to donate a Limbar(TM) machine to this cause provided a clinical study could be documented.
I am a retired MSgt from the USAF. I had a motorcycle accident about 20 months ago and lost my right leg below the knee. My right foot/toes burn 24/7. On a scale from 1-10 its normally a 7-8. But when i must urinate or during orgasm the pain level reaches a 11. It is breath taking. I have been on every thing from Lyrica, cymbalta, neuroten, ultram, kepera, you name it and it has not gotten any better. I am trying to make an appointment with the VA in memphis for some help. Can you give me some direction.