Paraplegia, the loss of sensation and voluntary motor control after serious spinal cord damage, may be accompanied by girdle pain at the level of the spinal cord damage, visceral pain evoked by a filling bladder or bowel, or, in five to ten per cent of paraplegics, phantom body pain in areas of complete sensory loss. This phantom body pain is initially described as burning or tingling but may evolve into severe crushing or pinching pain, or the sensation of fire running down the legs or of a knife twisting in the flesh. Onset may be immediate or may not occur until years after the disabling injury. Surgical treatment rarely provides lasting relief. COUNT 5
QSN1 What is paraplegia? ANS1 loss of sensation and voluntary motor control QSN2 What is the initial phantom body pain sensation experienced by people with spinal cord damage? ANS2 burning or tingling QSN3 What can cause paraplegia? ANS3 serious spinal cord damage, QSN4 What is an inefficient treatment for chronic pain which rarely provides any sort of true relief? ANS4 Surgical QSN5 The sensation of a knife twisting in the flesh is an example of what type of pain? ANS5 phantom body