Do you continue to have pain or strange sensations in the leg that was amputated (phantom sensations, phantom pain) or in the portion of the leg that remains after amputation (residual limb/"stump" pain)? Do you have pain in your back, hips, or in the leg that wasn't amputated? If so, you belong to a large group of fellow amputees who are dealing with the same challenge, according to a study published in August 2000.

The brain appears to be the source of phantom pain and sensations. Although part of your leg has been disconnected from your body, the brain doesn’t recognize the disconnect. Pain pathways that served that leg are still active, and they're telling you that it hurts in a body part that isn't even there anymore. This is especially true if you had a lot of pain prior to the amputation. Residual limb pain can be the result of an ill-fitting prosthesis, damage to nerve endings, or a number of other reasons. Pain in areas of the body other than the amputated limb can be from walking differently or having to perform activities of daily living in a new way.

The 2000 study sought to define how often amputees dealt with chronic pain after losing a limb. Questionnaires were sent to persons who had undergone lower-limb amputation at least six months prior to filling out the survey. The majority of the respondents were males. A large number of them were young and had amputations as a result of trauma. Over 70 percent of the sample reported experiencing non-painful phantom limb sensations and phantom limb pain. Residual limb pain was reported by 70.5 percent; this type of pain was reported as being worse than any pain at any other site surveyed.

Back pain was reported by 52 percent, which is more than in the general population. Non-amputated limb pain, buttock/hip pain, and neck/shoulder pain were also reported by a notable number of participants. Although pain is common after amputation, the majority of participants reported it as being intermittent and not particularly bothersome or disabling. However, up to 25 percent reported that their pain was highly bothersome and disabling.

For further information, refer to: "Chronic Phantom Sensations, Phantom Pain, Residual Limb Pain, and Other Regional Pain After Lower-Limb Amputation," Ehde, D PhD; Czerniecki, J MD; Smith, D MD; Campbell K RN BSN; Edwards W MD PhD; Jensen, M PhD; Robinson, L MD; Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, August 2000, Volume 81(8).