Responses to Phantom Limb Pain/ Pain Specialists??
Jeff Zeller
Description
Collection
Title:
Responses to Phantom Limb Pain/ Pain Specialists??
Creator:
Jeff Zeller
Date:
4/19/2004
Text:
Thank You All for the great information ! I will pass it on to the
patient and see if we can get him comfortable, without pain meds!
Sincerely
Jeff A. Zeller BOCP,CP
There is a new implant that they are using on RSD and nerve pain patient
implanted along the spine. Works like a tens unit it is made by ANS
Advanced Neuro-modulation Systems Inc, in Allen, Texas. My father
recently had one implanted and it instantly changed his pain condition.
Hope this helps let me know if I can be of a further help.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
We recently had a PM&R resident from Johns Hopkins spend two weeks of
his residency in our office here in California while visiting family. I
showed him your post and he suggested the following:
1-this may be Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or now know as Complex
Regional Pain Syndrome 2-Pt should consider consult with pain management
specialist -
anesthesiologist, neurologist and/or consult with a PM&R that
specializes in pain management if he has not done so. There is now a
subspecialty in PM&R know as Interventional Physiatry that may be of
help. 3-Most of these specialists will be most easily located in/near
teaching facilities. 4-These patients also frequently see multiple
physicians in resolving this complex problem.
Hope this helps you and your unfortunate patient.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kernan's Rehabilitation Hospital, Part of the University of Maryland
* in Baltimore MD, has a regular pain clinic where patients can be
seen with the amputee clinic. They are using all types on pain
management-relief, including medications, surgery, hypnosis, alternative
therapies. Contact is Trudy in Physical therapy department. Sounds
like it is essential that this issue be addressed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell him to try some sort of
electrotherapy. <URL Redacted>
There should be some protocols for phantom pain.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Would be happy to have your patient on AMP-L.
There has been some discussion lately about addiction to medication.
It often helps to have a place to discuss such issues. As I recall,
you were once subscribed.
Cheers
Wayne Renardson
PS: Glad to send you info if you wish
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
have you looked into pain management with the virtual reality methods
used at the university of Strathclyde?The mirror box techniques can also
help in the management.The only other thing that comes to mind is that
the amputation was done improperly and the nerve ending have bunched
into neuromas.Adhesions or abnormal tracking of the fibula could also
play a role.MRI?Good luck.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Recently, I came across something that was amazingly and remarkably
simple and effective for phantom pain. I am very conservative in my
approaches to recommending new products; so is John. I would like you
to consider having your patient try this. If it does not work, you gave
him hope that you are trying to search for the latest products and you
will keep trying. Sometimes hope is all we can offer.
Juzo introduced their Silver line of products. Yes, silver is primarily
being used for wound care effectively. However, during their
incorporation of silver into their shrinkers, a secondary and unexpected
effect happened. The ELIMINATION of phantom pain. This was in new and
later, old timer patients!
Now when this rep was showing the items to me, my conservative, skeptic
hat was glowing. He had me try something. He asked me to call him right
there on his cell phone from mine. It rang! He then placed the cell
phone into this 17% silver impregnated shrinker and had me call again.
The signal was completely blocked out! No ring. Barrier to
electomagnetic waves!
The idea is that phantom pain signals are interrupted by the aura of the
silver ions and cannot pass onto the brain. Juzo does not claim 100%
pain relief in everyone. However, even if we could offer these sometimes
desparate individuals an alternative to drugs and surgery, the slight
diminishing or escape from the severe pain will significantly improve
their quality of life.
Juzo has a beautiful brochure with the benefits of silver for their
compression line. Their FAQS sheet has a focused explanation of the
shrinker effect. They have several paper inserts on the shrinkers that
are faxable if you would like to review them. Your rep could provide you
with this info as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
(He suffered from chronic pain for 2 years prior to the amputation.)
First you have to understand why he has Phantom limb pain.
Phantom pain is the manifestation of the chronic pain suffered prior to
the amputation and is not the amputation it self. An amputee who has not
suffered pain prior to amputation dose not dose suffer phantom pain
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
I have done quite a bit of research into phantom limb pain from the
medical end. In all of the official research we have not come up with a
definitive answer as to its' cause, prognosis or treatment. Short of
the usual wearing of a prosthesis and trying to trick the brain with
constant contact the only treatments that can offer some, and in very
rare cases permanent, pain relief is hormone treatment with direct
injections to the site or epidural injections into the spinal column.
Both can be done by an anesthesiologist. One of my residencies was in
anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania and everyone received
training in pain management. I don't have anyone in particular to
recommend. Make sure the doc is board certified in anesthesia. Call
your local hospital and find out who the MD is that does the most pain
work. Anesthesiologists are usually not in the yellow pages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Have his doctor check for a neuroma. This is often the problem,
especially if located in an active muscle or in an area that gets
pressure from a prosthesis.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
I have been traumatic knee disarticulate amputee for almost 17 years.
Over the years I have found that hot and occasionally cold compresses
have help reduce phantom pain. After a couple of years the frequency and
duration of the pain subsided. I still can feel nearly all of the
missing parts but thankfully no pain anymore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
If your patient is open to acupuncture he should give it a try. My best
success has been with chiropractors who do a combination of acupuncture
and electrical stimulation. Good luck.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
What kind of pain is it? Burning..cramping..twisting there are a few
medicines that can be used.. Nuerontin or Klonapin..ellaville. I have
heard of ice working to..Juzo has a shrinker that is GUARANTEED to
reduce phantom pain. The pain medicines will do nothing for him.
----------------------------------------------------------
Could this be a case of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
I have had some although not consistent success with the FARABLOC
material. (First consideration was non-narcotic) I was a little
skeptical but 3 out of the 5 BKs using the socks report noticeable
results. They were not told what it would do before I presented them
with the material. www.Farabloc.com
patient and see if we can get him comfortable, without pain meds!
Sincerely
Jeff A. Zeller BOCP,CP
There is a new implant that they are using on RSD and nerve pain patient
implanted along the spine. Works like a tens unit it is made by ANS
Advanced Neuro-modulation Systems Inc, in Allen, Texas. My father
recently had one implanted and it instantly changed his pain condition.
Hope this helps let me know if I can be of a further help.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
We recently had a PM&R resident from Johns Hopkins spend two weeks of
his residency in our office here in California while visiting family. I
showed him your post and he suggested the following:
1-this may be Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or now know as Complex
Regional Pain Syndrome 2-Pt should consider consult with pain management
specialist -
anesthesiologist, neurologist and/or consult with a PM&R that
specializes in pain management if he has not done so. There is now a
subspecialty in PM&R know as Interventional Physiatry that may be of
help. 3-Most of these specialists will be most easily located in/near
teaching facilities. 4-These patients also frequently see multiple
physicians in resolving this complex problem.
Hope this helps you and your unfortunate patient.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kernan's Rehabilitation Hospital, Part of the University of Maryland
* in Baltimore MD, has a regular pain clinic where patients can be
seen with the amputee clinic. They are using all types on pain
management-relief, including medications, surgery, hypnosis, alternative
therapies. Contact is Trudy in Physical therapy department. Sounds
like it is essential that this issue be addressed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell him to try some sort of
electrotherapy. <URL Redacted>
There should be some protocols for phantom pain.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Would be happy to have your patient on AMP-L.
There has been some discussion lately about addiction to medication.
It often helps to have a place to discuss such issues. As I recall,
you were once subscribed.
Cheers
Wayne Renardson
PS: Glad to send you info if you wish
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
have you looked into pain management with the virtual reality methods
used at the university of Strathclyde?The mirror box techniques can also
help in the management.The only other thing that comes to mind is that
the amputation was done improperly and the nerve ending have bunched
into neuromas.Adhesions or abnormal tracking of the fibula could also
play a role.MRI?Good luck.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Recently, I came across something that was amazingly and remarkably
simple and effective for phantom pain. I am very conservative in my
approaches to recommending new products; so is John. I would like you
to consider having your patient try this. If it does not work, you gave
him hope that you are trying to search for the latest products and you
will keep trying. Sometimes hope is all we can offer.
Juzo introduced their Silver line of products. Yes, silver is primarily
being used for wound care effectively. However, during their
incorporation of silver into their shrinkers, a secondary and unexpected
effect happened. The ELIMINATION of phantom pain. This was in new and
later, old timer patients!
Now when this rep was showing the items to me, my conservative, skeptic
hat was glowing. He had me try something. He asked me to call him right
there on his cell phone from mine. It rang! He then placed the cell
phone into this 17% silver impregnated shrinker and had me call again.
The signal was completely blocked out! No ring. Barrier to
electomagnetic waves!
The idea is that phantom pain signals are interrupted by the aura of the
silver ions and cannot pass onto the brain. Juzo does not claim 100%
pain relief in everyone. However, even if we could offer these sometimes
desparate individuals an alternative to drugs and surgery, the slight
diminishing or escape from the severe pain will significantly improve
their quality of life.
Juzo has a beautiful brochure with the benefits of silver for their
compression line. Their FAQS sheet has a focused explanation of the
shrinker effect. They have several paper inserts on the shrinkers that
are faxable if you would like to review them. Your rep could provide you
with this info as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
(He suffered from chronic pain for 2 years prior to the amputation.)
First you have to understand why he has Phantom limb pain.
Phantom pain is the manifestation of the chronic pain suffered prior to
the amputation and is not the amputation it self. An amputee who has not
suffered pain prior to amputation dose not dose suffer phantom pain
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
I have done quite a bit of research into phantom limb pain from the
medical end. In all of the official research we have not come up with a
definitive answer as to its' cause, prognosis or treatment. Short of
the usual wearing of a prosthesis and trying to trick the brain with
constant contact the only treatments that can offer some, and in very
rare cases permanent, pain relief is hormone treatment with direct
injections to the site or epidural injections into the spinal column.
Both can be done by an anesthesiologist. One of my residencies was in
anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania and everyone received
training in pain management. I don't have anyone in particular to
recommend. Make sure the doc is board certified in anesthesia. Call
your local hospital and find out who the MD is that does the most pain
work. Anesthesiologists are usually not in the yellow pages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Have his doctor check for a neuroma. This is often the problem,
especially if located in an active muscle or in an area that gets
pressure from a prosthesis.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
I have been traumatic knee disarticulate amputee for almost 17 years.
Over the years I have found that hot and occasionally cold compresses
have help reduce phantom pain. After a couple of years the frequency and
duration of the pain subsided. I still can feel nearly all of the
missing parts but thankfully no pain anymore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
If your patient is open to acupuncture he should give it a try. My best
success has been with chiropractors who do a combination of acupuncture
and electrical stimulation. Good luck.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
What kind of pain is it? Burning..cramping..twisting there are a few
medicines that can be used.. Nuerontin or Klonapin..ellaville. I have
heard of ice working to..Juzo has a shrinker that is GUARANTEED to
reduce phantom pain. The pain medicines will do nothing for him.
----------------------------------------------------------
Could this be a case of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
I have had some although not consistent success with the FARABLOC
material. (First consideration was non-narcotic) I was a little
skeptical but 3 out of the 5 BKs using the socks report noticeable
results. They were not told what it would do before I presented them
with the material. www.Farabloc.com
Citation
Jeff Zeller, “Responses to Phantom Limb Pain/ Pain Specialists??,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 5, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/222988.
