Question 1

Why do amputees feel pain in a limb that is gone?

Accepted Answer

Phantom limb pain comes from the brain, not the missing limb. The brain holds an internal map of the body that does not switch off after amputation. When confirming signals from the lost limb stop arriving, the map persists and can produce vivid, sometimes painful sensations.

Question 2

How does mirror therapy treat phantom limb pain?

Accepted Answer

A mirror is positioned so the reflection of the intact limb appears where the missing one should be. When the patient moves both at once, the brain receives visual evidence that the phantom limb is moving, which can relax a clenched, painful phantom and ease the pain.

Question 3

What percentage of amputees experience phantom limb sensations?

Accepted Answer

Studies estimate that roughly 60 to 80 percent of amputees continue to feel the missing limb. For a large share of them the sensation is painful rather than neutral, ranging from itching and cramping to severe burning or crushing pain.

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