Phantom pain

[Michael F. Chamness]

Thanks for the follow-up, Thom. I too prefer not to mess with medications. I
don't want to become another old geezer who takes a dozen or more pills for
various problems. Anyway, for myself, I've found that by concentrating on
the pain and mentally "localizing" it to the specific area that is bothering
me, it leaves the rest of me pain-free and able to get on with life. Massage
also helps, especially of the end of the residual limb (I don't like the
word "stump", it reminds me of an unwanted thing that remains after the tree
comes down). Sometimes I can almost find the spot where the phantom
sensation is - my toes cramp, the foot seems to curl backwards, the whole
leg feels like its drawn up underneath me, and there's nothing there! Having
the sensation is not worth the price of admission, but it is interesting
nonetheless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael F. Chamness
PO Box 22
Montpelier, ND 58472
chamness at daktel.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thom Bloomquist" <tcbloom2 at earthlink.net>
To: "Amputee Information Network" <amp-l at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 5:31 AM
Subject: Phantom pain


> - the longer the pain before amputation, the longer or more intense the
> phantom pain afterwards.
>
> Michael,
>
> Your theory runs parallel to my understanding.  Another variable, although
> two might have the same painful stimuli - how we respond might be
different.
> A Billion sets of chemistries walking around this planet and each just a
tad
> different.  Different skin color, eye color and hair color - how we
respond
> to illness and injury also varies.  That's why some of us are bothered by
> phantom and others, having gone through similar experiences, might have
> few/none.
>
>  rodgerole at mail.ev1.net posted an inclusive list of treatments. I would
like
> to add one that works for me.  He/she (?) mentioned TENS.  Tens was a step
> in the right direction but The micro-current technology called Alpha-
Stim,
> takes my phantoms away very quickly.  It's very safe and non-ivasive.
Since
> all meds have side effects and complications - some thing this safe and
> effective is great.  This doesn't mean it will work for everyone in the
same
> way - nothing does.  However, its worked on every amputee, I have put it
on.
>
> Thom
>
>
>