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Post by retrain on Oct 31, 2019 8:10:36 GMT -7
Integrum AB, a swedish company , has recently CE Marked a non-invasivem virtual and augmented reality based treatment with demonstrated clinical evidence of reducing Phantom Limb Pain .
Here is a video of the Pilot Patient who received the treatment and had his pain reduced after 48 year!
This treatment is currently available in Europe (Not FDA Approved). The treatment is administered by physiotherapists at rehabilitation clinics. If you are interested in knowing more about the product visit website. If you live in the US, you may be able to participate in the clinical trail employing this methodology in Chicago.
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Post by snowyh on Nov 1, 2019 13:51:34 GMT -7
This is fascinating! I have been a PP sufferer ever since I became an amputee, the painful sensations being felt mostly from my fingertips to my wrist, even though my entire shoulder girdle has been removed (including collar bone & shoulder blade). I only found real relief about 2 years ago when CBD oil, taken orally, became legal in the state where I live. Prior to that I mainly relied on pharmaceuticals. Mirror Box Therapy only worked while I was actually performing the exercise, and stopped working immediately as soon as the session was over. I have also received limited relief from homeopathic remedies.
From the above website: This therapy allows patients control their phantom limb pain by activating muscles on their stump and eventually controlling their phantom limb.
My question is, do you think this would work on patients who cannot "move" their phantom limbs? I was only able to move my arm for maybe a year or two post-amputation. Then it slowly became harder to move, like slugging through molasses, eventually freezing in place. I haven't been able to move my missing arm for over 45 years. So I wonder if this therapy would be effective for someone like me who doesn't actually articulate the missing limb. I do involuntarily flex muscles in my stump area, which is really just the muscles over my rib cage, but it literally feels like what it is... moving the muscles over the rib cage... not moving my shoulder or arm.
Thanks for posting the link and video!
Helen
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Post by retrain on Nov 4, 2019 6:26:29 GMT -7
The device requires muscle activity from the stump in order to control the virtual limb on the screen. The device is currently developed for tranradial/transhumeral and transfemural/transtibial amputees currently. Gaining control of the phantom limb is a common effect we have seen after the treatment but not a requirement to the treatment. But having stump muscles/muscle activity to duplicate the movements are! I hope the product develops in the future but the treatment might not currently fit your level of amputation .
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Post by snowyh on Nov 4, 2019 10:52:51 GMT -7
Thanks, retrain, the technological advances certainly are amazing. What was science fiction is now reality!
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