Holistic Healing Solutions for Phantom Pain in Amputees

Amputation is a drastic solution to medical problems. After the amputation is conducted, the patient must spend a few minutes trying to prevent an infection. After the fear of infection subsides, they don?t need to take many more steps to deal with the physical health risks. However, there are a number of mental health problems that can still loom.

You need to be aware of these problems, because they can have it devastating impact on your psyche. The good news is that there are a number of things that you can do to minimize the risk of psychological problems.

What are some of the problems that you will need to deal with after in amputation?

You will need to deal with a few different problems after receiving and amputation. Here a few have the biggest problems that you will face.

Physical problems from decreased mobility

Receiving an amputation obviously reduces your ability to move freely. This can lead to weight gain, higher blood pressure and elevated blood sugar levels. Obesity and diabetes could result.

If you don?t find ways to keep yourself active after receiving an amputation, you might be prescribed medication for diabetes and high blood pressure. It is better to get the exercise you need, so that you don?t have to deal with these risks.

Higher risk of depression and anxiety

A study from several experts in India show that depression and anxiety are common problems with people suffering from an amputation. However, the same factors that drive anxiety disorders do not correlate with the factors that cause depression.

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A lot of factors impacted the likelihood of developing anxiety disorders following amputation procedures. The number of healthcare professionals that participated with the initial treatment, the settings that the operation took place in, the level of family support, the patient?s own sense of optimism and the perception of pain all played a role.

Feelings of anger can also arise, especially if the amputation was caused by something that you feel should have been prevented. According to a recent report, Invokana ?may have led to amputations.

?There are many reasons for diabetics to be at risk of amputations, including glucose management and inadequate foot care. In diabetics, it is often a case of nerve damage and poor circulation, made worse by increased blood sugar. The infection often develops without the knowledge of the patient, resulting in a gangrenous wound that eventually needs to be amputated. In 2017, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) decreed that the Invokana packaging should come with a ?black box?, warning patients of the risk of amputations.?

Interestingly, the only factor that caused amputees to develop depression was the perception of pain. People that overcame the feeling of phantom pain were able to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing depression or even reverse depression after its onset.

Phantom pain

Phantom pain is at the root of many of the physical and psychological problems amputees face. The good news is that this means treating phantom pain can mitigate the other risks that you face.

Holistic treatments to help amputees with phantom pain

The good news is that there are a number of new treatments that will help with phantom pain. Some of them are holistic solutions. Here are some to consider:

  • Mirror box therapy. This is a treatment recommended by Dr. Bolash of the Cleveland clinic. The patient watches themselves in a mirror while they are completing their physical therapy. This helps reroute neural pathways, which helps them realize the lamb is not there anymore.
  • Deep brain stimulation. This is another holistic treatment. Instead of using medication to dull the sensation of pain, you use small electrodes to resolve it. You may need multiple treatments, but it has been shown to be effective over time.
  • Nerve cuffs stimulation. This treatment involves using stimulator near the source of the amputated limb.
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There are a lot of things that you can to minimize the problems associated with phantom pain. Make sure that you are aware of them and take the right steps.

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