Phantom Pain Treatment in Louisiana
If you have lost a limb or another part of your body, you may feel painful sensations that seem to come from the missing part. This is called phantom pain. It is common among amputees and can become a chronic problem for some people. LA Pain Doctor helps patients in Metairie, LaPlace, Harvey, Hammond, and Lutcher, LA reduce phantom pain and improve daily comfort.
Request an AppointmentUnderstanding Phantom Pain
Phantom pain is real pain, not imagined. After an amputation, the nerves that once served the missing limb remain in the residual limb, spinal cord, and brain. These nerve pathways can continue to send pain signals, and the brain may interpret them as coming from the missing part. Phantom pain is different from residual limb pain, which is pain in the remaining part of the limb, though many patients experience both.
What Phantom Pain Feels Like
- Burning, stabbing, or shooting pain
- Cramping or squeezing sensations
- Tingling, pins and needles, or electric shocks
- A feeling that the missing limb is twisted or in an uncomfortable position
- Pain that comes and goes or is triggered by stress, weather, or pressure
Who Is at Risk?
Phantom pain is more likely in patients who had significant pain before the amputation, those with residual limb pain or nerve damage, and people whose prosthesis does not fit well. It can begin shortly after surgery or months later.
How We Treat Phantom Pain
Because phantom pain involves the nervous system, treatment focuses on calming overactive nerve signals. Your plan may include nerve-calming medications through our pain medication management program and targeted nerve blocks. For leg amputations, a lumbar sympathetic blocks may help, while a stellate ganglion block may help arm amputations. Trigger point injections can relieve muscle pain in the residual limb.
When pain persists, advanced therapies such as a spinal cord stimulator trial or intrathecal pump implants may provide significant relief. We also coordinate with your prosthetist and therapists. Learn about related nerve conditions like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Peripheral Neuropathy, and explore our knee and leg pain treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Phantom Pain Treatment
Is phantom pain real?
Yes. Phantom pain is a real nerve-related pain that comes from changes in the nervous system after amputation.
How common is phantom pain?
It is very common among people who have had an amputation, though severity varies widely.
Will phantom pain go away?
For some patients it fades over time, but for others it becomes chronic. Treatment can help reduce its intensity and frequency.
What treatments help phantom pain?
Options include nerve-calming medications, nerve blocks, trigger point injections, and advanced therapies such as spinal cord stimulation.
Can a spinal cord stimulator help phantom pain?
Yes. Spinal cord stimulation can reduce chronic phantom limb pain for some patients who have not responded to other treatments.
Does prosthesis fit affect phantom pain?
Yes. A poorly fitting prosthesis can worsen residual limb and phantom pain, so coordinating with your prosthetist is important.
Where can I get phantom pain treatment?
LA Pain Doctor treats phantom pain at our offices in Metairie, LaPlace, Harvey, Hammond, and Lutcher, LA. Call (504) 229-4866 - Metairie Office , (504) 229-4866 - Laplace Office , (504) 229-4866 - Harvey Office , (504) 229-4866 - Hammond Office or (504) 229-4866 - Lutcher Office to schedule.
Find Relief From Phantom Pain
Our team can help calm persistent nerve pain after amputation. Call (504) 229-4866 - Metairie Office , (504) 229-4866 - Laplace Office , (504) 229-4866 - Harvey Office , (504) 229-4866 - Hammond Office or (504) 229-4866 - Lutcher Office or request an appointment online today.