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It’s very common
for an amputee to experience some
level of phantom pain. It feels as
if the pain is in the missing limb
or as if the limb were still there.
Please check with your doctor before
trying any of the following suggestions.
- Wrap the residual limb in a warm,
soft fabric, such as a towel. The
warmth will sometimes increase
circulation. A heating pad may
also help.
- Mentally exercise the missing
limb in the area where it is painful.
- Mentally relax the missing limb
and your residual limb.
- Do some mild overall exercise
to increase circulation.
- Exercise the residual limb.
- Tighten the muscles in the residual
limb and slowly release.
- Put on an Ace wrap or shrinker
sock. If you have your prosthesis,
put it on and take a short walk.
- If you
have discomfort while wearing
your prosthesis, take it and
your prosthetic sock off and
put it back on after a few minutes.
Sometimes the residual limb is
being pinched and changing the
way it’s donned will relieve
the pressure.
- Change positions. If you are
sitting, move around in your chair
or stand up to allow the blood
to flow to your residual limb.
- Soak in a warm bath or sue a
shower massager on your residual
limb.
- Massage residual limb with your
hands.
- Keep a diary of when pain is
most severe. Some amputees have
found a relationship between some
foods and their pain.
- Eat juniper berry extract and
/or capsules. (Found at health
food stores)
Above all, get moving. Stand up,
go for a walk, lift some weights.
Often, increased circulation to your
residual limb will reduce the pain.
Some have found help through self-hypnosis,
biofeedback and chiropractic. If
you have not found relief through
any home remedies and the pain is
not being controlled through normal
medications, a pain center can certainly
be considered. Hopefully the pain
will lessen with time as nature takes
its course.
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