What is phantom pain and will it go away?
Phantom pain is the term used to describe sensations felt by amputees, which may include cramping, tingling, itching, pins-and-needles, stabbing pains, pressure, a sense of fullness (as if the limb was still there, but slightly swollen), and so on. The majority of amputees experience these sensations, however the degree to which it is felt will vary. The phantom sensations are intermittent (they come and go, unpredictably.) New amputees tend to have frequent and intense sensations several times every day, often continuously for a few hours at a time. As the years pass after an amputation, the sensations will generally become less frequent, and less intense, and bouts of pain last for a shorter amount of time. However, despite medical literature that says “both the phantom sensations and pain gradually resolve with time,” many amputees report that the phantom pain never completely disappears.
