Phantom limb syndrome is a condition where people will still have sensations even though a limb is gone. For instance, someone could lose their arm in a workplace accident, but for weeks, months or even years after that accident, they may still feel pain shooting through the arm, or they may feel other types of sensations. This can make it hard for them to adjust.
This is especially problematic when the person is dealing with serious pain. Generally, your brain interprets nerve impulses as pain, letting you know where an injury has occurred so that you can resolve the root cause.
But phantom limb pain means that you experience pain in a nonexistent limb, so there’s no physical issue that can be fixed. It’s just that there is nerve damage that is causing pain or perhaps that the brain itself is confusing the impulses that it’s receiving. In other words, the pain itself isn’t real, but it certainly feels real to the person who is experiencing it.
A minimum of 80% of cases
Researchers who have studied this say that it happens to a minimum of 80% of those who suffer amputation injuries. These researchers fully admit that it may occur in 100% of cases. In other words, phantom limb syndrome may not be avoidable. It is going to happen, and the only question is how severe it will be, how it will manifest and what types of treatment options you have at your disposal.
But even with proper treatment, you can imagine how difficult it is to deal with these types of long-term issues. If you were injured on the job, be sure you know about all the legal options you have moving forward.