This paper describes a study protocol to investigate the use of immersive virtual reality as a treatment for amputees' phantom limb pain. This work builds upon prior research using mirror box therapy to induce vivid sensations of movement originating from the muscles and joints of amputees' phantom limbs. The present project transposes movements of amputees' anatomical limbs into movements of a...

A 45-year-old man presented with phantom limb pain and phantom limb sensation 12 weeks after an above-elbow amputation of his right arm. He underwent seven sessions of acupuncture at weekly intervals carried out by his general practitioner on his intact left arm, with complete relief of the phantom limb pain and considerable improvement of the phantom limb sensation of his right arm. This case ...

PURPOSE: Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces (RPNIs) can be used to treat symptomatic end neuromas that develop after major limb amputation. Symptomatic neuromas occur in approximately 30–40% of individuals after limb loss and phantom limb pain affects 70–95% of these patients. We investigate the potential of prophylactic RPNIs to prevent neuroma formation and to mitigate the experience of...

PURPOSE: Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces (RPNIs) can be used to treat symptomatic end neuromas that develop after major limb amputation. Symptomatic neuromas occur in approximately 30–40% of individuals after limb loss and phantom limb pain affects 70–95% of these patients. We investigate the potential of prophylactic RPNIs to prevent neuroma formation and to mitigate the experience of...

Pain synaesthetes experience pain in a presensitised region when observing or imagining another person in pain. We conducted an upper-limb embodiment study using a modified rubber-hand illusion in which lower-limb amputees originally participated as control subjects for the upper-limb amputees. While we found all subjects experienced topographic illusory sensations, we also serendipitously foun...

BACKGROUND Between 1992 and 2001 the UK general practice incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia declined, whilst the incidence of painful diabetic neuropathy increased. The most common first line treatments were compound analgesics. As therapeutic options have subsequently changed, this study presents updated data on incidence and prescribing patterns in neuropathic pain....

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to measure the efficacy of a single 60 min application of capsaicin 8% patch in reducing chronic amputation stump and phantom limb pain, associated hypersensitivity with quantitative sensory testing, and changes in brain cortical maps using functional MRI (fMRI) scans. METHODS A capsaicin 8% patch (Qutenza) treatment study was conducted on 14 patients with si...

The post-amputation (pain) syndrome, including stump pain, phantom limb sensation, and phantom limb pain is common but difficult to treat. Refractory stump pain in the syndrome is an extremely challenging and troublesome clinical condition. Patients respond poorly to drugs, nerve blocks, and other effective treatments like spinal cord stimulation and surgery. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) techniq...