Behaviour therapeutic approaches of treatment following an amputation with an emphasis on phantom limb pains

Abstract

The present paper provides a synopsis of different approaches derived from the fields of behaviour therapy and behavioural medicine to help patients cope with an amputation. Special emphasis is placed on influencing excruciating post-operative phantom limb pains. Behaviour therapeutic methods include a careful diagnosis, self-observation practices, providing information, encouraging successful coping with the loss, exercises of perception promoting both the subjective and neuronal adjustment of the body image to the altered circumstances, techniques to enable dealing with the pain, strategies for handling anxiety, as well as relaxation techniques. The changes ensuing an amputation -particularly within the social frame - are dealt with in great detail and provide solutions for existing problems. The overall aim is to stimulate the acceptance of what happened which is necessary to enable successful coping with the loss, internalising the novel body image both subjectively as well as neuronally, reducing, relieving and supporting anxiety, decreasing pain, and - bearing in mind their resources - encouraging patients to develop a perspective of life satisfactory and meaningful to them.

Keywords:
Amputation, phantom limb pains, behaviour therapy, behavioural medicine.