Mirror box treatment for Phantom Pain – Is it effective?
The vast majority of people who lose their limbs experience some degree of phantom pain. This phantom pain seems to hit the area of the limb’s past. The victims of phantom pain still feel like they are limbs despite not having any nerves or tissues.
Chicago often uses treatments such as drug therapy and neurological disorders to help people with phantom pain. But simpler, less invasive procedures called mirror box therapy can also help people overcome phantom pain.
This article will explain what mirror box treatment is and why it is useful for people who have lost their limbs.
What is Mirror Box Treatment?
Mirror box therapy or simple mirror therapy is caused by phantom pain in the event of poor brain communication. Doctors who develop mirroring therapy believe that nerve cells in the brain are still trying to communicate with the lost nerve cells of the limb.
Since these nerves can still signal, the lack of a return signal can be understood as a sign of danger and registered as pain. The purpose of mirror therapy is to convince the brain that these signals are no longer needed.
The process of poor communication and subsequent negative or uncomfortable reactions are called negative feedback. Mirror therapy goes beyond this negative feedback by encouraging patients to deceive the brain into thinking that the phantom limbs still exist.
How does mirror therapy work?
Mirror therapy is a relatively new form of treatment. It was first described in the 1990s. Since then, there have been many studies and reports that mirror therapy works for people who use it.
The process itself is seemingly simple but highly clever.
During the first experiment, patients placed both the complete limbs and their phantom limbs into the box. There will be a mirror on one side of the box. Mirrors will reflect the complete limbs, thus creating fantasy that their phantom limbs remain.
The patient will then be instructed to move or use the limb while looking at the reflection in the mirror. Through routine practice for weeks, the patient can sense limb movements of the amputated limbs. Most of these patients will also reduce pain.
Do I need a therapist for mirroring treatment?
Many scientific literature describing mirror therapy shows that it is best done with the therapist. But, empirically, this is not always the case. Mirror therapy is fairly simple and can be done at home by most people.
Some studies have followed people who practice mirror therapy at home and still experience results. The only difference is that it requires more personal discipline and dedication. Seeing a physical therapist in Chicago for pain management may help establish routines.
in conclusion
Phantom pain is a condition that is difficult to treat due to lack of practical problems in the limbs. Mirror therapy provides an alternative to amuputees that can retrain their brains to think their phantom limbs are still there. Feel free to consult a Chicago Pain Management Doctor for more information.
