Phantom Limb Pain
Also written as: PLP — Phantom Limb Pain
Painful sensations perceived as originating in a limb or limb segment that has been amputated, representing a neuropathic pain condition of significant relevance in rehabilitation and prosthetics management.
Full Definition
Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a form of neuropathic pain in which an individual experiences pain perceived to arise from an absent limb following amputation. It is distinct from phantom limb sensation (non-painful awareness of the absent limb) and residual limb pain (pain localised to the actual stump). PLP is thought to arise from maladaptive neuroplastic changes in the somatosensory cortex and peripheral nervous system following amputation. In PM&R, its management is multifaceted and may include pharmacological therapy, mirror therapy, graded motor imagery, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and psychological interventions. Editors must distinguish clearly among 'phantom limb pain,' 'phantom sensation,' and 'residual limb pain' in clinical documents, as conflation of these terms represents a substantive editorial error. The term is always rendered as three words, with no hyphen.
Usage
Usage note: Do not hyphenate 'phantom limb pain.' Clearly distinguish from 'phantom sensation' (non-painful) and 'residual limb pain' (pain at the amputation site itself) in any document where all three may be discussed.
In Context
- "The patient reported phantom limb pain rated 7/10 in the absent left foot, which persisted despite adequate residual limb healing." — PM&R outpatient clinic note
- "Mirror therapy was prescribed as a non-pharmacological intervention for phantom limb pain following transfemoral amputation." — Rehabilitation medicine treatment plan