A week after my amputation, I began to experience uncomfortable nerve pain in my residual limb. It started off as a steady and continuous tingling sensation over my entire stump — as if the limb was a funny bone that had just been smacked. Only without any of the associated pain from hitting your funny bone.
Over the following day or two the nerve pain escalated. I began to realize it was phantom limb pain. It's difficult to describe how it feels. It's occasional but quick burning, electric, stabbing pain. It's like going from zero to 100 mph in a split second. Then it's as if nothing happened.
Today the nerve pain quieted down, making it a little easier to describe. Every few minutes I feel like my big toe is crushed or the right side and bottom of heel is being burned and electrocuted. And again, it comes and goes very quickly.
The good news is this pain is expected to diminish once I get into a prosthetic limb. And even if it didn't, I'd trade this pain for what I had before my amputation in a heartbeat.
It's weird but fascinating. I'm looking forward to spending more time describing this sensation. But in the meantime, here are the pictures of the limb from yesterday.
Great post. I've heard about phantom pain, but I didn't know half of the stuff here. Very interesting.
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