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Phantom Limb Pains in Patients Undergoing Amputation Prevented by Mirror Therapy
Dr. Steven R. Hanling and colleagues of Naval Medical Center, San Diego, describe the successful use of mirror therapy to prevent phantom pains in soldiers with severe leg injuries requiring amputation.
"Although it may sound like 'hocus pocus', this is one of many recent reports about the use of mirror therapy in veterans with injured limbs," Dr. Steven L. Shafer of Columbia University, Editor-in-Chief of Anesthesia and Analgesia, said.
Phantom limb pains are a common and difficult problem after amputations-even though the injured limb is removed, the pain continues.
"The pain pathways in the spinal cord and brain 'remember' the painful injury," Dr. Shafer said.
"Because of this memory, the missing arm or leg continues to ache, sometimes severely so, long after the limb itself has been amputated," he said.
Dr. Hanling and colleagues used mirror therapy in an attempt to prevent phantom pain in four soldiers requiring leg amputation because of combat injuries.
In each case, amputation was necessary after extensive efforts to save the leg.
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mikebaxall(Guest)
03/16/2010
Mirror therapy was first described by V.S. Ramachandran, but has since been proven to be effective in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome [CRPS] / RSD, and stroke rehabilitation, as well as for hand and foot rehabilitation following an injury or surgery.
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