Amputation is the removal of a body part such as a leg or arm, finger or toes. The removal is conducted via surgery.  Amputation is done to avoid a disease from spreading to the rest of the body. The extremity may have to be removed due to injury then it is done the same way as an amputation for a diseased limb as well.

A great number of amputees, roughly around 75% experience what they call phantom limbs. This is when the amputees feel body parts that are no longer there. For example, if someone has an arm amputated they may feel the arm still there after the surgery. These phantom limbs actually itch, hurt and the person can “feel” them moving.

They may also feel phantom pain too. Amputees not only feel the pain in the limbs that are amputated but they can feel the pain in the breasts that are amputated from breast cancer or an eye removal. They feel the pain up until the point of a prosthetic limb being put in. It takes time until the amputee will feel comfortable wearing the prosthetic limb.

Some scientists call it the neural map. This sends the brain the image that it still has the limbs and therefore they still feel the pain where limbs are no longer there. The phantom limb syndrome may develop weeks and sometimes months after the injury. The pain they may be feeling can range from cramping, aching, burning and electric shock. There isn’t much anyone can do about the feeling of the phantom.

Right now there are studies going on about how to treat PLP. Scientists are looking into the possibility that an implant system that would be able to relieve pain in the spinal cord nerves and thus be able to keep down the possibility of pain in the phantom limbs. Others have suggested surgery again but that would only be given in extreme situations.

Experiencing phantom limb pain is normal and it is common, talk to your doctor about any relief they may be able to help you with.  They are your best source of information, what works for some may not work for others.

For additional information and resources on Chronic Pain, visit PainsWeb.com. The author Sam Carson is a chronic pain patient and publisher of PainsWeb.com. His website specializes in conveying targeted information about all types of Chronic Pain and helps you find associated information, patient resources and forums etc to manage your pain. Authors can submit quality original articles to PainsWeb.com and get a back link to their site.