Phantom Pains
The experience of actually having a limb, when none actually exists, is known as phantom limb. Phantom limbs can be experienced from birth or after some trauma or surgery in which a limb is removed. People with phantom limbs can describe vivid sensory qualities such as heat , pain, itchiness, etc. In fact such is the sensation that people have been known to try and walk on phantoms because they feel so real.
Strange Facts about Phantom Limbs
* Phantom arms feel as though they hang at rest but move when walking.
* Phantom limbs sometimes get stuck in strange positions and appear to cause cramp and pain.
* Artificial limbs can simply enhance phantom limbs – like putting a glove on a hand.
* People with spinal injuries sometimes experience cycling movements with their legs when lying down.
Phantom Limbs & Phantom Pains
When we experience pain it is generally for a purpose. Pain lets us know that something is wrong, it also limits our activity until we recover. Phantom pain, or other phantom sensations appear to have no use so why do they occur at all? One theory is that during fetal development the brain is hard-wired to assume that all arms, legs, feet and hands will be in place.
The brain develops a kind of mental map which doesn’t change in the event of a missing limb. So, when a message is sent to the brain from the end of the nerve, the brain assumes this comes from the end of the limb. Also, depending on where the nerve ends, or was cut, the brain attempts to interpret the message as best it can but this can result in a misinterpretation so people feel their ‘limb’ is in an awkward position or in pain. In one study of leg amputees*, 85% suffered from phantom pains
* Zuurmond WW, van der Zande AH, de Lange JJ. (1996) Phantom pain following leg amputation: retrospective study of incidence, therapy and the effect of preoperative analgesia. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. May 18;140(20):1080-3.
- Fitness Back Pain Exercises You can minimize low back pain with exercises that strengthen your hamstrings, abdominals, back, hip
- General Health Diabetes Pain Treatment Pain Treatment drugs for people with diabetes The below listed medicines and methods will provide yo
- Children's health Adolescent Care During adolescence, males and females go through changes that affect them both physically and mental
- Fitness Breast Enlargement Exercises 1. Lie down on a mat. Hold one weight in each hand and extended your arms out at shoulder level. Rai
- General Health Pain Relief What is pain? Pain is the sensation of agony, distress or discomfort which results from stimulation
- Human body Signs, Symptoms and Cure of Parkinson’s disease Signs and Symptoms of Parkinson's disease * Tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face * Stooped
- Children's healthGeneral Health Symptoms of Juvenile and Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms of diabetes for juvenile diabetes and type 2 diabetes are: Excessive Thirst and Urination L
- Mental Health How to Beat the Afternoon Slump Do your energy levels plummet like a car in a lift shaft once the hands of the clock pass twelve o'c
- Children's health Baby Massage A baby massage is a great way to relax and soothe your baby into a wonderful night’s sleep. This i
- Medication Lyrica Lyrica is an effective oral nerve-pain relief treatment, Lyrica is developed by Pfizer. Lyrica has b
- Fitness Running More Efficiently Most runners enjoy the simplicity and accessibility of running as a sport and as a means of exercise
- General Health Dealing with Cancer Pain Did you know that as many as 30 to 50% of cancer patients undergoing treatment experience pain? Plus
- Mental Health Walk Off Your Stress Had a bad day? Feel stressed and tense? OK, so go and walk it off! Yep, it's that easy. Start off sl
- Human body Back Pain Ever had back pain? Most of us will answer yes. The pain can be anywhere from a dull ache to one whi
- General Health Wheelchair Users and Their Caregivers – Practical Tips If you are a wheelchair user yourself, or if you have been asked to assist someone in a wheelchair,