Biomaterial Database

Phantom sensation, phantom pain, and stump pain. 1993

R W Davis

Pain Rehabilitation Consultants, Inc., Colorado Springs, CO.

Phantom sensation, phantom pain, and stump pain have been known since antiquity. For millenia, sensations in the missing body part were thought to be of psychic origin. During this century the psychic explanations have gradually given way to physiological explanations. However, these have been tenuous hypotheses that have poorly explained the reported symptoms. This history is reviewed here. It is now believed that phantom pain probably originated in the pain transmitting neurons of the dorsal horn. This has led to significant advances in the treatment of this disorder. It is now thought that phantom sensation is best explained as a sensory emgram or a part of the neuomatrix as purposed in 1989 by Melzack. This hypothesis is in agreement with newer theories of brain function. The differential diagnosis and treatment of stump pain are also reviewed. There is no current treatment for phantom sensation. The treatment of phantom pain and stump pain must be part of a more comprehensive rehabilitation program aimed at restoration of function in all spheres of the individual's life. Discussion of the role of "phantom" sensation and pain in the spinal cord injured is also presented.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009435	Synaptic Transmission	The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES.	Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D010591	Phantom Limb	Perception of painful and nonpainful phantom sensations that occur following the complete or partial loss of a limb. The majority of individuals with an amputated extremity will experience the impression that the limb is still present, and in many cases, painful. (From Neurol Clin 1998 Nov;16(4):919-36; Brain 1998 Sep;121(Pt 9):1603-30)	Pseudomelia,Phantom Limb Pain,Phantom Pain,Phantom Sensation,Limb Pain, Phantom,Limb Pains, Phantom,Limb, Phantom,Limbs, Phantom,Pain, Phantom,Pain, Phantom Limb,Pains, Phantom,Pains, Phantom Limb,Phantom Limb Pains,Phantom Limbs,Phantom Pains,Phantom Sensations,Pseudomelias,Sensation, Phantom,Sensations, Phantom
D011602	Psychophysiologic Disorders	A group of disorders characterized by physical symptoms that are affected by emotional factors and involve a single organ system, usually under AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM control. (American Psychiatric Glossary, 1988)	Psychosomatic Disorders,Psychophysiological Disorders,Psychophysiologic Disorder,Psychophysiological Disorder,Psychosomatic Disorder
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000672	Amputation Stumps	The part of a limb or tail following AMPUTATION, SURGICAL that is proximal to the amputated section.	Amputation Stump,Stump, Amputation,Stumps, Amputation