Mirror Therapy for Phantom Pain - Amputee Explains 

It’s crazy because the pain isn’t truly phantom- your brain still has the connections and map of your limb so it can still send pain signals even if it’s no longer there

Me, sleeping: Zzzz The leg I lost 12 years ago: Hey hey, I'm baaack Me, shooketh: Oh no you aren't

With your positive attitude, I believe you are going to be fine..I think you are a great, very smart and informative person

It's 3:30 in the morning and somehow I got sucked into watching videos like yours. I'm not an amputee, I just find these videos fascinating. Hope you're doing well!

I just became an amputee 2-weeks ago (New Jersey area) and your video was helpful. Thank you for taking the time

I work at an assisted living facility, and I Have 2 residents that are amputees, but one of them suffers from phantom pain very often, and even after I give her narcotic pain medication, she has no relief. I'm very glad I ran into your channel so that I can find new ways to help her. I will definitely be starting with this mirror therapy asap!!

So my father is a 2.5 years long amputee...and a prosthetic leg user for 2 years...since the first time of wearing the prosthetic he is suffering from phantom pain... nothing was working...so today I've found your channel and this video...and I'm so much grateful to you for posting this video and sharing your experience...from today I will help him to do the mirror therapy ... Once again thanks a lott❤️ .....love from India

I have lived with pls for twenty eight years , my left leg was trashed in an accident or traumatic amputation I feel every injury you mentioned plus a few more that defy description. Your best weapon in this fight, (cos trust me, this fight is for life) is your sunny positive attitude. The mirror will stop working in about a year or so, get the drop on it now by taking up tai chi it will put you in touch with your pain in a very gentle way, good luck little one I hope your healing is swift and whole, bless your solid gold heart 🤩

Miss you explained the procedure very well. I appreciate your positive mindset towards your difficult condition.

Idky they didn't show my husband this. He has extreme phantom pain! He was in a horrible accident Decembrr 3rd 2020. When he was opening up our car door a drunk driver hit him pinning him in the car door and the car they tried to save his right leg and unfortunately couldn't and he lost his leg about 3 incges above the knee down. He is struggling with this loss! Thanks for your videos!

Thank you for this video! You're such a clear speaker!

Came for a House reference, stayed for this brave person 😁

You’re brave as shit, well explained and good attitude for your recovery. Best of luck, thanks for the good vid and explanation

Quite interesting...thanks for sharing.

That’s really fascinating how powerful the mind is. Are you still dealing with pain?

You are doing so well, can’t imagine what you are going through but you are so strong and I’m impressed. The bad times will pass with time

You talked about the decision to take your own leg. I made that same decision in 2007. The pain before was so excruciating, and 150 mg fentanyl patches didn’t even touch it. You are so right about you can never judge someone else’s pain. Unfortunately it’s hard for me to wear a prosthetic due to the fact that when I get a proper fitting prosthetic the pressure on my calf makes me want to cry. The first time I had an amputation I was given the Ertl procedure, they told me I could do anything I wanted, so I started playing a league racquetball again. I broke several prosthetic feet but the last time I broke my bone graph. It got infected and I had another amputation. I got another ant amputation after that due to infection after the last surgery and was in the hospital for 120 days on IV antibiotics for osteomyelitis. My stomach got so infected the bone was hanging out of my leg. I finally found another doctor to fix the previous doctors mass. In 2013 after four amputations I finally beat the infections. I still wonder if taking off my leg was the right decision but I was told by Mayo Clinic it was my best chance at a somewhat normal life. As I watch this video I am in another test socket. I’ll keep you posted on how the new Revo system works that is a adjustable socket. I’m hoping this will solve my calf problem. You’re a great advocate To amputees everywhere. Keep it up

i came here from a shoutout from deviant ollam and found a really wholesome person/channel ! :) as a person with a .."less solveable" body issue (completely fubar spine) i am always interesting in hearing if an amputee would switch ailments. for me its a no brainer but thought experiments/hearing different opinions/broadening your horizon is always fun!

Phantom pain is so fascinating

That’s really interesting! Hope you feel better soon 🌸

For phantom pain. Touch your ring finger knuckle, or any knuckle if holding it pain goes away let knuckle go pain comes back. I hope just touching your knuckle's works instantly. I don't have a phantom limb but do knowabout phantom pains otherwise.I hope.

im your 600th subscriber!! 💞

Thank You!

Just found your vid and I really like what you have to say. The nerve pathways into/out of my MIA left leg are as alive and thriving as they were a year ago (it's been about a year since I lost leftie). Sometimes the sensations are ok, like the nonexistent foot is wallowing in soft carpet...other times it cramps...sometimes the MIA ankle throbs...phantom pain is weird. Love "wiggling my toes" though but had never thought to combine a mirror with it!

I wish you happiness It saddened me

You are so inspiring

I can't really move my toes they cramp when I bend/move them a little more than when I walk they get stuck and it's just really scary cuz they feel like they're gonna break, just watching this made me all stressed and hunched up. I'm so glad that you can move them so freely.

You are so amazing, and that one person who disliked this video literally has no heart, love you Jo

God Bless You 🙏

This was a topic on the TV show "House" some years ago.

I love you!

Yours is the best video I've seen on mirror therapy, thank youso much. I think what your doing is good especially sinceI have my leg amputated to. At first you were doingbetter than me, not now. But it has made me thankfulI have not had blisters or bursitis or complications.Thank you so much.Stanley Griffin

I can’t use the mirror trick, I had both legs removed due to a minor mishap. My phantom pain hits me at night while I’m sleeping, the pain is very real, and intense! Gabapentin seems to help, if I take more than I’m supposed to take. My body has developed a tolerance to my oxycodone so I’m avoiding it for a while to lose my tolerance. When it still worked it was the best answer to the pain. Thanks for videos, I find them somewhat comforting.

Try acupuncture with this. It’s call and response. It’s chi energy. It’s train your brain. I’ve been helped enormously for chronic pain, soon 40 years. Acupuncturists have signatures, a tweak here or there, I’ve had six different people over the years. One used a space blanket, an aluminum cover over my legs after the needle therapy. I could have floated away, leaving pain on the table. Another one….after the needles…just about to get up….he took his thumbs to the bottom of my spine and went all the way to the back of my neck. Slowly. The weight of my body against his thumbs. I heard crinkly noises…it felt wonderful. When bones move over each other, a gas is formed…like when you hear a knuckle crack…that’s gas. It takes a few sessions….but you can go there in your mind. Your brain has a picture…bring it up. Imagine a session. You'll feel the benefit…the brain doesn’t know you’ve not left the house. Can you imagine driving in a convertible on a summers eve, having once done it? Imagine an acupuncture session just as well. People rave about gummies…chew or suck on some, play music as you work with the mirror. acupuncturist can be most successful with anxiety. Let him or her know the wheelchair use is driving you anxious. So glad I found this….didn’t know you’d found it already when I linked. Zoom with others who are trying mirrors out. Talk to the brain…you were talking to the mirror reflection. Be a traffic cop in the brain….the guy on the tarmac with safety flashlights…guide that big girl in. Robotics should be here by now. Standing wheelchairs should be the norm. Think of it all the time. We should don an antebellum hoop skirt frame that will not permit a fall.

When you do the therapy does your brain still think your ankle hurts? Because before it was amputated those movements would have been rather painful for your bad ankle right?

Can u tell what to do for a patient with little finger ambutee in lower limb feeling a lot of pain like electric shock...?

How much time to you spend at each session and how frequently do you do it in a day? Thank you.

When the mirror image is taken away does the depression and saddness of the loss return?

I am curious about something; just how much can you "feel" in the phantom limb while doing mirror therapy by the end of a session? Like, were there sensations of temperature, contact with the floor, air currents, or was it just the sensations of motion?

When do I use this therapy, at the moment am feeling the pain or anytime?

I tried this once but I had the mirror on my amputated leg, It made things Much much worse. Luckily I had an ERTL Amputation so I don't get phantom pains.

Hi, did this help in the end? My mother has very bad phantom pains and it's heartbreaking to see it happen so often

You had your leg amputated to get out of pain, did the doctor tell you that you could have severe phantom pain for years? I hope they give you medication for pain.. anyways great channel. Feel better soon~

I just lost my leg not even two weeks ago and I’ve been experiencing severe phantom limb pain every hour since then, it’s worst at night and I get barely any sleep. I’m definitely trying this now and see if it works🥰

“Fun things like that”

What size is the mirror?

fun things like that...

I didn’t realise this was how this worked

Is it like using The Force..

Can someone answer this So basically I know that its painful but like where do you feel pain since the leg for example is not there anymore like where your "stomp" is cuz im literally so confused

My doctor said to massage it it works for couples min but it always come back

❤️

Why are we still here just to suffer

I had my whole leg amputated 4.5 years ago I still get phantom sensations daily and pain, several times a week.

Your toes are so dexterous 😲

Mirror therapy is so freaky right? I do it at ot helps

The brain is world's greatest mystery

This is odd to me..but whatever it takes to trick the brain and help the pain.

Phantom "feelings" never go away for most people.

Beautiful leg and foot

Do all amputees experience phantom pain at some point?

I am not sure why but this made me really un easy. Not watching but attempting to empathise with the feeling made me mildly anxious.

This may be kind of weird but I can NOT move my toes like that, your big toes is like another thumb lol. I hope all is going well!

Suggestion: look at the Dr. Emoto stuff on water, or even the rice experiments people have done on RU-vid. This vid is old so perhaps you don’t do this anymore.... but I highly suggest you nix the “good limb” (which insinuates a “bad” limb, rather than just footless) terminology. You clearly got it going on with loads of self love etc. It’s just when u look into it it’s shocking what the words themselves can do. You always hear “words have power”.. people take it too far with sometimes inauthentic bulldozing of their emotions or truth in the moment in favor of “positive thinking”- but this isn’t that. It’s a deeper, physical impact.

@FootlessJo, how do you that that jiu-jitsu is helping you be positive and with you being disabled?

You been checked for connective tissue disorders?

If it dosnt work and you have to do it over an over with the off chance it may work so basically it dosnt work

What if u dont have both limbs

I wonder if medical marajuana would help to ease phantom body pain?

i know what it is its pure hell nothing but hell

what if both my legs are off

It's kind strange because neurologists found that phantom pain were caused by degeneration of a nerf who cause an alteration of the neural local system that start to activate the nerves spontaneously without any reason. Than with that discovery surgeons started to proceed an anesthesia directly in the nerves that they will cut in addition to general anesthesia. With this method it provides neural local system to be activated spontaneously. But I was thinking it works every times in any case like the end of phantom pain but as I can see in your video this is not a 100 percent working method. Good luck

My father is a recent amputee and we are trying this. But the mirror therapy seems to be causing him pain while he is doing it. Is this normal? Do we keep going or stop? Thanks!!

This method make me think of vedanta teaching thats world is not real, but image of a mirror in absolute consciousness. But absolute consciousness dont need object, its create image in itself.

Am I living in a box? Am I living in a CARD BOORD Box!

Some thoughts that occurred to me: people with bilateral/symmetrical amputations are out of luck on this one, and that sucks. Then since it's all visualization and tricking your brain into thinking there's something there that's not, would blind amputees be at an advantage or disadvantage? There'd be no visual reminder that the limb isn't there anymore, but also no way to benefit from the optical illusion.

Her shirt☺ I do jiu jitsu

Doesnt the reinforce the idea that you still have the limb? Another amputee said want helped was literally convincing her brain is was not real

The human body is both amazing and weird.

I just realized that double amputees (on the same extremity) can't do that :( So not even that relieve works

This is so crazy. Our brains and bodies are bizarre.

House is of course nuts, but this is one of my favorite scenes in the series ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aIMa6G6EmC8.html

I did this in therapy.didnt help me too much

Ah so that's how it works, I'm a six weeks below knee amputee but I can't sit on the floor,

111th

V has come to

If i die i want them to give you my leg

You have cute toes Sorry about the pain

the brain is so crazy. your brain is literally doing this to trick your brain into thinking the leg is there and is fine. so interesting.

Gabapenten always works for me 🤪