April 22, 2013 | April is Limb Loss Awareness Month, dedicated to bringing attention to the roles amputees play within communities across the country. According to the Amputee Coalition, there are 21 amputations every hour in the United States or more than 500 a day and approximately 185,000 every year. Approximately two million people in the U.S. are living with limb loss. The leading cause of amputation is diabetes, followed by traumatic injury, and cancer. In 2010, diabetes affected 25.8 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is estimated that 33 percent of Americans will have diabetes by 2050. In 2009, hospital charges for amputation procedures performed in this country totaled more than $8.3 billion. Amputation is the removal of an injured or diseased body part. An amputation may be the result of a traumatic injury, or it may be a planned operation to prevent the spread of a disease in an infected limb.

April 22, 2013 | If you are a candidate for amputation, talking with your surgeon prior to the procedure is important. You should meet your surgeon, feel confident in his or her abilities, and have all of your concerns addressed before the surgery is scheduled. Your surgeon should be willing to take the time to answer any questions you have, such as, is amputation the best solution? Be sure to ask what kind of pain you will have after your surgery and what steps will be taken to manage your pain after the procedure. You may also be able to talk to your surgeon about a prosthetic, a man-made limb, and discuss how much functional ability the prosthesis will provide. Your surgeon may also refer you to someone who has undergone a similar amputation as well as to a support group that you may want to join after the surgery. Remember, if you are uncertain or uncomfortable with the surgeon or the information you are given, feel free to ask for another opinion or a different surgeon.

April 22, 2013 | Phantom pain is a form of pain that feels like it’s coming from a body part that’s no longer there. Doctors once believed this post-amputation phenomenon was a psychological problem, but experts now recognize that these real sensations originate in the spinal cord and brain. Many experts believe phantom pain may be partially explained as a response to mixed signals from the brain. After an amputation, areas of the spinal cord and brain lose input from the missing limb and adjust to this detachment in unpredictable ways. The result can trigger the body’s most basic message that something is not right. In other words: pain. Although phantom pain occurs most often in people who’ve had an arm or leg removed, the disorder may also occur after surgeries to remove other body parts, such as a breast or eye. Treating phantom pain usually begins with medications that relieve nerve pain and may include non-invasive therapies like acupuncture or electrical nerve stimulation.

April 22, 2013 | People with diabetes are prone to having foot problems, often because of two complications of the disorder: nerve damage, or neuropathy, and poor circulation. Neuropathy causes a loss of feeling in your feet, taking away your ability to feel pain and discomfort, so you may not detect an injury or irritation. Poor circulation in your feet reduces your ability to heal, making it hard for even a tiny cut to resist infection. Even with preventative care and prompt treatment of infection and complications, there are instances when amputation is necessary to remove infected tissue, save a limb, or even save a life. A trained foot and ankle surgeon can help wounds heal, preventing the need for amputation. There are many new surgical techniques available to save feet and legs, including joint reconstruction and wound healing technologies. Getting regular foot checkups and seeking immediate help when you notice something can keep small problems from worsening.

April 22, 2013 | Physical therapy is usually started as soon as possible following an amputation. At first, this involves gentle stretching and exercises to keep muscles strong and joints healthy and promote good blood flow. Your therapy will continue as your body heals. Later, you will practice activities such as moving from a bed to a wheelchair or getting dressed. Therapy can last a long time but it is ultimately rewarding. Recovery from amputation can be a hard journey. Feelings of anger and frustration are common. People who have limb loss are at higher risk of depression. People who have limb loss and chronic illness, such as diabetes, are even more likely to be depressed. If recovering from amputation is a struggle for you, talk to your doctor. Treatment with medicine or counseling can help you get through this tough time. Family and caregiver support can also help. Meeting with someone who has had an amputation and now uses a prosthetic can be very motivating.