Amputations and Phantom Pain

by Gram 10 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Gram

  Has anyone known of a person who has had a limb amputated? And then experienced what they call phantom pain?

  I have seen this first hand and it is quite incredible. The person still feels pain, heat, cold, itching, etc. after the limb is gone.

  I have also seen a "healing touch therapist" in the hospital message the absent limb and even go to a specific part of the missing limb that was itching to scratch it. The patient directed the therapist, lower, higher, left, right, until she found just the right spot to scratch. As she did, the patient responded, yes, that's it, Oh, it feels so good.

  I was quite blown away. Any thoughts, comments, experiences?
• 

  Tyrone van leyen

  Thats fascinating. It's almost as if this part of the body, that is missing ,is unable to leave, and exists in it's attachment to the rest of the soul, which is contained in the remaining physical parts. Of course the mind is capable of creating things that arn't there, as in halucinations, but that is visual. These are actual sensations.

  It could also be a trauma defese mechanism, wherein the body can't accept the nature of the injury and remembers all the pathways or sensations, that having the limb ,used to be like.

  Personally, I hope my top theory is right. But if it is, then that means, if we do have a soul, without a physical body, then it might experience pain regardless of matter. that's scary. On the other hand, maybe it is happening, only as a result of still being attached to the physical plain.

  So is this coming from the brain, without the nerves sending a message? If so, then being decapitated might release the whole of the spirit, from the course matter world, to the fine matter.

  I guess we'll find out sooner or later, but for now, I'd like to keep my head where it is.
• 

  BurnTheShips

  I thread I started on it once:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/161832/1.ashx

  Fascinating.

  BTS
• 

  choosing life

  I haxe worked with amputees and this can be slightly discomforting to severe pain. There are many illnesses that are similar that involve injury to a nerve. The brain is telling the person that the limb is still there and needs attention.

  I don't think it has been totally explained, but there is info on the net about phantom pain and how they treat it.
• 

  FreudianSlip

  I've always thought this was a weird phenomenon. I should look up some more info on it. Sci-fi stuff.
• 

  lisavegas420

  My husband lost his left hand over 30yrs ago. He said he still feels it, "as if" it was there. When he dreams, he always has his hand, so knows instantly he's in a dream.

  lisa
• 

  leavingwt

  Yes, I personally know a JW that lost a leg. His 'foot' that is not there will sometimes itch.
• 

  drwtsn32

  This just proves that your perception of senses occurs entirely in your brain. Your brain then "tells" you that you're feeling it at a certain part of your body. I can't imagine how frustrating it would be to have an itch on a non-existent body part!
• 

  CaptainSchmideo

  "Duma Key" by Stephen King centers on a character who experiences pain from a missing limb. That's not the only part of the plot, but it's important to the story.....
• 

  Tyrone van leyen

  I wonder if you can have your penis removed, and get a phantom errection that never gets satisfied.