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What type of pain is phantom limb pain?

User Jmoreno
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Final answer:

Phantom limb pain is neuropathic pain following limb amputation, and Dr. Ramachandran's mirror box therapy utilizes neural plasticity to help relieve it.

Step-by-step explanation:

Phantom limb pain is a type of neuropathic pain experienced by individuals who have had a limb amputated. This pain is due to the brain receiving exaggerated pain signals from the damaged neurons in the nervous system. Dr. V.S. Ramachandran developed an innovative treatment known as the mirror box therapy, utilizing the concept of neural plasticity, to help patients with phantom limb syndrome. By creating the illusion of the missing limb's presence using a mirrored reflection, the therapy aims to trick the brain into reorienting itself, which can relieve the chronic pain associated with the condition.

User Amit Bakle
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