By Phantom limb pain according to the National Institutes of Health is the sensation that one’s limb is still there after it has been amputated. The person feel the pain in the limb, yet, it has been amputated. As well as sensations such as tingling, numbness, hot or cold feelings, or that the limb is still there and is moving (1). Many people who have had amputations experience phantom limb pain. They conducted new research that brings hope on the condition.
Researchers shared findings causes phantom limb pain in the journal Nature Communications October 2016 issue. Information gathered used to people suffering from other types of chronic pain (2). Their research discovered using a brain-machine interface, brain does a reorganization of the wiring when there is an amputation. They report that phantom pain happens either following an amputation or when experience peripheral nerve damage.
The study involved giving brain-machine interface (BMI) training to 10 patients who have phantom limb pain. Each treatment session, they were controlling the neuro-prosthesis, the feeling of patients were asked. Out of the 10 patients, nine of them reported that they felt there was an improvement of their control. The reconstruction of motor function has not reduced the pain. However, by plastic changes in the cortical representation instead.Noted by the researchers.
They found artificial intelligence techniques can treat phantom limb. Using BMI, researchers are able to reconstruct affected hand movements with a robotic hand. Their findings were important in the neurofeedback. They found that BMI training with the phantom hand ended up intensifying the pain, which is not what they expected. They also learned that BMI training needed to dissociate with the prosthetic can reduce the pain.
Therefore, they found if the wrong side of the brain trained pain was significantly reduced to those accustomed using their prosthetic in this manner. The brain restructures in order to learn the new information. The researchers did also report that they felt this information may be helpful when treating other types of chronic pain.
This news brings hope for those who suffer from phantom limb pain. Pain killers are not effective, so research helps to understand the causes and how to address it crucial. Rather than focusing on medications , scientists are researching engineered treatment such as this one, which may bring about real pain relief for many who suffer from the condition.
Sources:
- National Institutes of Health. Phantom Limb Pain. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000050.htm
- National Pain Report. Cause and potential treatment of phantom limb pain found.
http://nationalpainreport.com/cause-and-potential-treatment-of-phantom-limb-pain-found-may-translate-to-other-chronic-pain-conditions-8831825.html
