Phantom pain

Abstract

Almost anyone with a limb amputation experiences phantom sensations. Moreover, the majority of amputees experience pain. This phenomenon is known as ‘Phantom pain’ and is described as the pain felt from a body part, usually a limb, which is no longer present. Several mechanisms have been proposed in attempt to explain this phenomenon with some being more prevalent than others. Cortical remapping seems to explain a substantial part of the occurrence of phantom pain and will be focused upon throughout this review. Since the exact mechanism underlying phantom limb pain is unknown, treatment for this condition is still quite primitive and is mostly by trial and error. However, ‘Mirror Therapy’ has recently been suggested which seems to show promising results for the effective treatment of phantom pain.