Written By: Elena Duran Chao
What are phantom limb sensations?
Phantom limb sensations refer to the perception of sensations, including pain, tingling, and movement, in a limb that is no longer present. These sensations are commonly experienced by individuals who have undergone amputation or have been born without a limb. Phantom limb sensations can be quite vivid and may vary from person to person.
What causes phantom limb sensations?
Phantom limb sensations occur due to the brain’s attempt to adjust to the absence of a limb. The neural networks in the brain that were formerly linked to a limb can change when the limb is severed or missing from birth. This reorganization can lead to the brain receiving signals that are interpreted as sensations from the missing limb.
Types of phantom limb sensations
Phantom limb pain
Phantom limb discomfort is among the most often reported side effects of phantom limb feelings. This pain can vary in intensity and may be described as sharp, shooting, burning, or cramping. Often occurring in the area of the missing limb or extending to other regions of the body, phantom limb pain can be chronic and may significantly impact an individual’s quality of life.
Sensory Phantom Limb Sensations
In addition to pain, individuals may also experience other sensations in the phantom limb. These sensations can include touch, pressure, heat, itching, or a feeling of movement. Some people have even reported the ability to wiggle their phantom fingers or toes.
Treatment
1. Mirror therapy
Mirror therapy is a technique used to alleviate phantom limb pain and improve phantom limb sensations. It involves using a mirror to create a visual illusion that makes it appear as if the missing limb is present and moving. The brain can be made to believe that the phantom limb is moving by observing the mirror image of the intact limb move; this can lessen discomfort and enhance perceptions.
2. Medication
Analgesics are drugs that are commonly known as painkillers or pain relievers. Unlike medications used as anesthesia during surgery, analgesics do not turn off your nerve sensations or impair your ability to detect changes in your surroundings. True to their name, analgesics work by either reducing inflammation at the region of pain or by altering how the brain processes and interprets pain.
Anticonvulsants are used to treat seizure disorders such as epilepsy. However, they are also used to treat other illnesses such as migraines, restless leg syndrome, bipolar disorder, and nerve pain. Due to phantom limb pain being perceived by an individual as pain in the nonexistent limb, anticonvulsants can also be administered to amputees for pain relief.
3. Physical therapy
Physical therapy can help improve phantom limb sensations by relaxing the nerve endings in the amputation site, causing pain signals sent to the brain being stopped. Multiple methods of physical therapy, such as massage, heat, or electrical stimulation, have been used to better the level of discomfort felt by amputees.
4. Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psycho-social mediation that is used to reduce symptoms of a variety of different mental health conditions. It is typically used for individuals with depression or anxiety. Amputees who experience phantom limb pains sometimes use techniques that are introduced through CBT to alter their thoughts or bodily responses, thereby momentarily reducing their pain level.
5. Biofeedback
With the use of the mind, one may learn to manage physical processes like heart rate through biofeedback, a type of supplementary medicine. Electrical sensors attached to the patient's body allow them to measure and receive feedback about their body. The sensors teach them how to alter the body subtly to get the outcomes they desire. Examples may include reduced pain through relaxation of certain muscles. Studies have recently been conducted to see if the use of virtual reality can assist people in using biofeedback more successfully to bring these processes under conscious control.
6. Stabbing
Despite the fact that this method is not commonly employed, being stabbed at the location of the pain (usually through the prosthetic) has been proven to aid the amputee’s brain in realizing that the agony is not genuine. Like Arizona Robbins in Grey’s Anatomy!
7. Prosthetic Limbs
After the amputation site fully heals, a physical therapist is usually put in charge of fitting the amputee with an adequate prosthetic (a limb made of metals and screws that resembles a bionic body part). After the prosthetic is chosen, physical therapy is mandated until the amputee is used to the prosthetic being in place and can move around comfortably. Resembling a normal life, a prosthetic limb is often worn to improve the amputee’s wellbeing and helps them carry out regular tasks with ease.
Conclusion
Phantom limb sensations present as a fascinating puzzle that highlights the human brain’s extraordinary plasticity. Among amputees, phantom limb symptoms are relatively common. Studies have shown that 60 - 80% of amputees report having phantom limb sensations, among which 5 - 10% of them experiencing severe phantom limb pain. Although we now have a better understanding of phantom limb experiences, there is still ongoing research in this field. As researchers continue to explore this intriguing conundrum, new treatments and techniques to improve the management of phantom limb sensations are beginning to come to light.
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