Amputee Life — Pain Management

Chronic phantom limb pain can be a debilitating condition. For those who suffer from PLP, it affects every area of life, causing even the simplest of tasks to be a struggle. Although some people report that their phantom pain gets resolved without treatment, others can find themselves depressed because of the continuous battle with phantom pain.

Chronic back pain is identified as one of the common complaints of American adults, along with headaches, joint pain, and nerve pain. While not fatal as other chronic conditions, back pain, especially along the lower back, makes the lives of many prosthetic users miserable.

How would you like a future where instead of interacting with computers through your fingertips, you can communicate through your brain? And this chip can also alleviate symptoms of brain-related chronic medical conditions? This is the future envisioned by Elon Musk, the man behind Tesla and SpaceX, through Neuralink Corp. He said that the prototype could be implanted in a person by the end of 2020.

For those who had ample time to prepare for their amputation surgery, one of the frequently asked questions is about residual limb and phantom limb pain—what to expect and how to manage it. Today, those who are considering an elective amputation have more pain control options, including peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS).

Around 80% of 1,321 medical cannabis users use it as a substitute for prescription pain medications. So, why are more people turning to cannabis or CBD for pain relief? Can it relieve chronic pain—including residual limb pain—better than prescription painkillers?