It is commonly described as a sense of burning, itching, or numbness. Patients usually report experiencing “electrical discharge and pinpricks”. In some cases, patients can sense the “phantom” limb’s presence, without experiencing any pain.
Phantom limb syndrome is often quite severe, regardless of its location. It typically starts within the first two days of amputation and affects 60%–80% of amputees.
The most recent studies show that phantom limb pain is multifactorial, contrary to earlier misconceptions that it is psychological. Modern data partially attribute this pain to the brain and the spinal cord. In particular, even after losing a limb, the affected area continues to stimulate brain neurons through the spinal cord.
Scar tissue buildup, nerve damage, and psychological factors like the recollection of suffering in the affected limb prior to amputation, are among risk factors that increase the likelihood of phantom limb syndrome.
There are a number of treatment approaches that can be applied alone or combined as part of the management of phantom limb syndrome.
These capsaicin-rich patches are often applied after the administration of a local anesthetic. Depending on the part of the body where they are applied, they stay on the skin for about 60 minutes during the therapy before being removed.
This technique involves electrically stimulating the affected area’s nerves. Related research suggests that these nerve impulses block the brain’s reception of pain signals.
The above medications can be administered directly to the spinal cord through a pain pump that is implanted under the skin and slowly releases the medication over a period of time.
The procedure for spinal cord stimulation entails inserting a tiny device close to the spine under the skin. Before pain signals reach the brain, this device modifies or masks them by sending electrical signals to the spinal cord via electrodes.
Alternative/adjunct treatments for phantom limb pain include biofeedback and acupuncture. In particular, biofeedback helps a person have better pain control through relaxation techniques and management of the body’s normal functions (heart rate, blood pressure, breathing).
