{"id":10054,"date":"2022-05-18T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usleadnetwork.net\/phwellness\/?p=10054"},"modified":"2022-05-18T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T11:00:00","slug":"features-of-phantom-limb-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usleadnetwork.net\/phwellness\/features-of-phantom-limb-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Features of Phantom Limb Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes, an amputation may be necessary to control infection and pain in an affected limb. Other times, amputation may evolve from an accident. However, whichever way the amputation occurs, it may also lead to soreness or extreme pain in the part of the limb that\u2019s been taken out. This pain is referred to as phantom limb pain.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the pain that emanates from a missing limb or a part of the limb. This pain can range from mild to severe pain, and it can exist for minutes, hours, days, or more. Thankfully, phantom pain can be managed.<\/p>\n

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Other forms of pain can exist in the affected limb area and are equally painful. How do you differentiate phantom limb pain from other forms of limb pains, and how do you handle it properly? Here\u2019s how;<\/p>\n

Phantom sensations<\/h2>\n

This occurs when there\u2019s a missing limb that still feels like a part of the body. However, rather than feeling pain, there\u2019s only a form of sensational feeling in that area. Phantom sensations are easily ignorable, unlike phantom limb pain.<\/p>\n

Residual limb pain<\/h2>\n

This occurs when an amputation has happened, but the area of the limb that wasn\u2019t affected begins to feel pain. Residual pain is usually due to nerve damage or pressure on a nerve, and it\u2019s quite common in patients who suffer from limb loss.<\/p>\n

Causes of phantom limb pain v. residual limb pain<\/h2>\n

The phantom pain will typically happen as soon as a limb loss occurs and can last through the healing process. It\u2019s usually due to a muddle of signals from the nervous system, particularly the brain and spinal cord. An amputation leaves the affected part at the mercy of the nerve connections, and the brain can process signals like the body part still remains there. For residual limb pain, there are a number of factors that can cause this type of pain in the limb. They include;<\/p>\n