A patient sustained a traumatic amputation below his knee due to a motor vehicle accident. He is experiencing phantom pain and wants to know how this could be happening if his leg is gone. You explain that phantom pain occurs because:
A) the incision where the amputation occurred is still healing.
B) spinal cord neurons still send pain signals to the brain.
C) large C fibers are overstimulated.
D) inhibitory pain signals are diminished.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Phantom pain occurs because the nerves that were severed during the amputation can still send signals to the brain, and the brain interprets these signals as pain from the missing limb.

A Patient Sustained a Traumatic Amputation Below His Knee Due