Phantom limb like pain and sensations in an intact lower extremity

Abstract

Phantom limb pain is defined as pain localised in a body part that is no longer there (Mishra et al. [1]; Flor et al. [2]; Mayo Clinic Staff [3]). It is believed that amputation of an extremity is required for phantom pain and sensations to occur (Nikolajsen and Jensen [5]). However, we report a case in which a severed nerve to an “intact extremity” resulted in phantom limb-like pains and sensations which responded to a treatment regimen identical to that for phantom limb pain. It is important for clinicians to entertain the idea of phantom limb-like pain in cases when a nerve is severed to any extremity and as such, provide pain relief to this subgroup of patients.