- #1
Enuma_Elish
- 78
- 0
The name "phantom limb" implies an external extension of the body. Has a similar phenomenon been reported for internal organs?
Thanks for any and all.
Thanks for any and all.
Enuma_Elish said:The name "phantom limb" implies an external extension of the body. Has a similar phenomenon been reported for internal organs?
Thanks for any and all.
Moonbear said:Referred pain is the reason this is a hard question to answer, because technically, all sensation from internal organs is "phantom pain." This is because the nerves supplying the internal organs form plexuses (think spider web instead of straight wire) and join in ganglia and then sometimes travel some distance before joining with the spinal cord. You get a lot of crossed signals. For example, someone with a ruptured spleen may feel shoulder pain, and most people know the classic example of someone having a heart attack feeling the pain down their left arm.
I wonder though, if this is slightly different due to the fact that the teeth are in intimate contact with the tongue and cheek and with other teeth. That may be where the sensations are expected.zoobyshoe said:Apropos, this occurred to me: Teeth have nerves, many people have teeth extracted, but I have never heard of a report of Phantom Teeth
Ramachandran had a guy whose arm was gone just below the elbow. Since the hand and face are right next to each other on the sensory strip, facial neurons took over the space vacated by the missing hand. That's not rigorously stated but what it means is that when his face was touched he felt touch both on his face and on the phantom hand.DaveC426913 said:I wonder though, if this is slightly different due to the fact that the teeth are in intimate contact with the tongue and cheek and with other teeth. That may be where the sensations are expected.
zoobyshoe said:Apropos, this occurred to me: Teeth have nerves, many people have teeth extracted, but I have never heard of a report of Phantom Teeth
cuallito said:Well, to bring a thread back from the dead, I've got a phantom wisdom tooth. No kidding.
Found this thread on google because it wouldn't let me sleep a wink and I was trying to find something to do about it.
The phantom limb phenomenon refers to the sensation of feeling a body part that is no longer there. This commonly occurs in individuals who have had a limb amputated, but can also occur with internal organs.
Yes, the phantom limb phenomenon can apply to internal organs. This is known as phantom organ sensation and has been reported in individuals who have had internal organs removed or damaged.
The exact mechanism of how the brain creates the sensation of a phantom organ is not fully understood. However, it is believed that the brain continues to receive signals from the remaining nerves and attempts to interpret these signals as coming from the missing organ, resulting in the sensation of a phantom organ.
There is currently no known cure for phantom organ sensation. However, some treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and psychological therapy may help alleviate the symptoms.
Phantom organ sensation is not as well-studied as phantom limb sensation, but it is believed to be less common. It may be more likely to occur in individuals who have had a traumatic injury or surgery involving internal organs.