Limb Loss and Amputation

Amputation pain is a type of pain that occurs after the loss of a limb. It can be caused by a number of things, including:

• Damage to the nerves in the amputated limb

• Changes in the way the brain processes pain signals

• Psychological factors, such as anxiety and depression

Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is a surgical procedure that helps people who have had an amputation to control their prosthetic limbs more effectively. During TMR, surgeons reroute nerves that were once connected to the amputated limb to muscles that remain in the residual limb. This allows the amputee to use their prosthetic limbs more naturally, by controlling them with their own muscle movements. TMR can also help to reduce phantom limb pain and pain caused by neuromas (a painful nerve tumor after injury).