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Phantom Pain—Psychological Conceptualization and Treatment: A Case Report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Marteinn Steinar Jonsson  and
Keren Fisher
Marteinn Steinar Jonsson
Affiliation:
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust, Stanmore
Keren Fisher
Affiliation:
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust, Stanmore
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Extract

This paper describes a case concentrating on the psychological conceptualization and treatment of phantom pain. A single session of cognitive work, teaching an “attention diversion’ strategy, was effectively utilized for the treatment of below knee phantom pain in an elderly lady. A follow-up, approximately one year later, revealed that the treatment gains had been maintained. Although a review of the literature (Sherman, Sherman and Gall, 1980) presents a rather murky picture as regards treatment prospects, the results nevertheless illustrate how a very simple cognitive strategy was successfully employed to alleviate a long standing debilitating phantom pain.

Type
Clinical Section
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , July 1996 , pp. 275 - 281
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1996

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