Phantom pain is the sensation, felt by amputee patients, that a missing or defective limb is present. A recent development in treatment is mirror therapy, in which the patient places their missing limb behind a mirror and concentrates their attention on movements of the present limb.
A potential magical explanation for phantom pain aligns with Plato's theory of forms. The perfect, ideal human body is symmetrical with two arms and legs. Phantom pain is therefore a result of the disparity between the physical and ideal form - hence why sufferers feel pain only in areas where the limb 'should' be. We live understanding only the appearances of things; mirror therapy is therefore helpful because the patients perceive themselves as having an intact limb.
Although there is no conclusive scientific explanation, the current theory is that phantom pain is a result of the representational areas of the motor cortex changing after an amputation. The use of mirror therapy is beneficial because it activates mirror neurons and blocks pain perception in the phantom limb.
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