After listening to another chapter on phantom limbs, I have discovered a treatment for this strange condition. If a patient is experiencing perceived pain on his/her phantom, then a mirror can help alleviate their discomfort. If a patient is missing his left arm, he/she would place his right arm in front of the mirror. The reflection makes it appear that the person still has the missing limb. After moving the right arm, the mirror makes it look like the amputated limb is moving. If the patient was experiencing "pain" in his/her phantom limb, this removes the pain. This process somehow helps unlearn the pain developed by the neuron signals from the phantom limb. According to neuroscientist Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, other therapies have only been successful with a handful of amputees, while mirror treatment works with just about everyone.
If any of you are amputees or have relatives with phantom limbs, then I highly recommend this therapy. Not only is it consistent, but it is also painless and easy to perform. After discovering this, I am almost tempted to test it out myself. Time to get out the machete! Haw haw just kidding. But really, if I ever lose a limb to an accident, fight or whatever, then I will definitely try this out.
A patient uses mirror therapy to treat his phantom leg.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46140000/jpg/_46140759_jex_422407_de27-1.jpg
While I appreciate your enlightenment, please try to tell me more about your opinion of this treatment, not just a recitation of the doctor's theory. This is because, Giácary, most competents already know about this or can easily grasp the concept. We are eager for the blood of knowledge, the amputated limb of amusement, so enlighten me and everyone else, please!
ReplyDeleteSeth
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