Overview
Residual limb pain is a type of pain felt in the part of an arm or leg that's left after the arm or leg is removed, called amputation. More than half of people who have an amputation get this type of pain. Sometimes called stump pain, it may happen soon after the surgery, often within the first week. But the pain may last after healing.
Residual limb pain is not the same thing as phantom pain. Phantom pain feels like it comes from the part of the arm or leg that's no longer there after amputation. But many people have both residual limb pain and phantom pain.
Residual limb pain gets better on its own for some people. For others, there are treatments.
Symptoms
Residual limb pain symptoms can begin soon after surgery. Or they can start more than two years after the amputation. The type of pain may depend on the cause. People most often feel the pain at the end of the stump. Pain may feel like:
- Prickling.
- Throbbing.
- Burning.
- Squeezing.
- Stabbing.
- Cramping.
In some people, the residual limb may move by itself a little or a lot.
Causes
There are several causes of pain after removal of an arm or leg, called amputation. They include the following:
- Issues in the bone or the soft tissue, such as sores or bone spurs.
- Infection.
- Poor blood supply to the part of the arm or leg that's left.
- A tumor.
- A tangle of nerve endings that forms after the arm or leg is removed, called a neuroma.
- Nerve damage.
- Issues with the fit or use of a replacement arm or leg, called a prosthesis.
Risk factors
Some studies have found that risk factors for residual limb pain may include:
- How high on the body the arm or leg was removed, called amputation.
- How much pain there was before amputation.
- The reason for the amputation.
- Older age at the time of amputation.
Emotional stress, such as fear and lack of emotional support, may make the pain worse.
Complications
Residual limb pain affects quality of life and may get in the way of using a replacement arm or leg, called a prosthesis. People with residual limb pain may be more likely to be depressed or anxious than people who don't have the pain.
Prevention
A replacement limb, called a prothesis, that fits well can ease pressure between the residual limb and the prothesis. This can help prevent residual limb pain. Taking good care of the skin that comes into contact with the prothesis also can help prevent residual limb pain.
Some nerve issues, such as diabetic neuropathy, can make it harder to feel pain. If you have these nerve issues, you can take steps to help prevent skin sores and infections. It may help to remove the prothesis several times a day to check for skin issues and take care of them right away.
Researchers are studying other ways to prevent residual limb pain after amputation.