Phantom Limb Sensation More Common than Previously Thought

Author: Elsevier
Published: 2010/09/24 - Updated: 2025/02/11
Publication Type: Findings
Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Prostheses / Prosthetics - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: After the loss of a limb patients experience the feeling of a phantom limb an illusion that the amputated arm or leg is still present.

Why it matters: This report reveals that over half of stroke survivors experience phantom limb sensations, a phenomenon previously thought to be rare among non-amputees. Patients often perceive their limbs in positions different from reality or feel movements that aren't occurring. These findings suggest that phantom limb experiences are more prevalent than previously recognized, highlighting the need for healthcare professionals to consider these sensations during post-stroke assessments. Understanding this phenomenon can enhance patient care by addressing these often-overlooked sensory experiences - Disabled World (DW).

Defining Phantom Limbs

Phantom Limbs: Phantom limbs refer to the vivid perception of sensations, often painful, in a limb that has been amputated or is no longer present. This phenomenon arises from the brain's persistent representation of the missing limb, as neural circuits that once controlled it remain active despite the physical absence. The sensations can range from tingling or itching to excruciating pain, believed to result from maladaptive rewiring in the somatosensory cortex. Phantom limb pain poses significant challenges for amputees, impacting their quality of life and complicating rehabilitation efforts. Understanding this condition underscores the brain's remarkable plasticity while highlighting the need for innovative therapies, such as mirror therapy, to address its debilitating effects - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

After the loss of a limb, most patients experience the feeling of a phantom limb - the vivid illusion that the amputated arm or leg is still present. Damage to the nervous system, such as stroke, may cause similar illusions in weakened limbs, whereby an arm or leg may feel as if it is in a completely different position or may even feel as if it is moving when it is not. Cases of phantom limbs in non-amputees have previously been considered rare events.

Main Item

A new study published in the October 2010 issue of Elsevier's Cortex reports that more than half of patients recovering from stroke may in fact experience phantom limb sensations.

Dr Daniel Antoniello from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, together with colleagues from the Universities of Colorado and Florida, and New York University, interviewed 50 post-stroke patients, with the aim of establishing how common phantom limbs were and also determining the characteristics of such experiences.

They found 27 of the interviewees to have experienced phantom limb sensations, many on a daily basis; they would move to adjust their position in bed, only to discover that their arm was underneath them, instead of beside them; others would feel their toes or fingers wiggling, even though they were not; some were even able to control their phantom limb, e.g., extending the arm to scratch an itch, which would of course not relieve the itch.

Dr Antoniello suggests that a possible reason for the phenomenon being underreported is that "patients fear being labeled 'crazy' and are less likely to report these sensations than other symptoms."

A detailed exploration of body image has also not been part of the standard clinical assessment of stroke patients.

"The study sheds light on how the phenomenal experience of one's body can be altered after neurological damage," explains Dr Antoniello.

"Remarkably, some of these individuals are able to control their phantom limbs with near total volition. This report has identified a group of patients that provide a valuable opportunity to explore how the brain constructs the conscious perception of the body."

The article is "Phantom limb after stroke: An underreported phenomenon" by Daniel Antoniello, Benzi M. Kluger, Daniel H. Sahlein, and Kenneth M. Heilman, and appears in Cortex, Volume 46, Issue 9 (October 2010), published by Elsevier in Italy.

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Elsevier and published on 2010/09/24, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Elsevier can be contacted at elsevier.com NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.