Background: Phantom limb pain is very common, and its pain quality descriptors give insight to the lived experience of phantom limb pain.
Significance: This study reports unique phantom limb pain quality descriptor categories

Evans, Cecile B.

Garcia, Angelica I.

Boise State University - ScholarWorks

Boise State UniversityScholarWorksCollege of Health Sciences Poster Presentations 2011 Undergraduate Research and ScholarshipConference4-11-2011Pain Quality Descriptors in Persons with LimbLossAngelica I. GarciaSchool of Nursing, Boise State UniversityCecile B. EvansSchool of Nursing, Boise State UniversityDepartment of Nursing PAIN QUALITY DESCRIPTORS IN PERSONS WITH LIMB LOSSAngelica I. Garcia, BSN StudentCecile B. Evans, PhD, RN, FNP-BC,  Assistant ProfessorPurpose: To describe and document pain quality descriptors in persons with limb loss. Background: Phantom limb pain is very common, and its pain quality descriptors give insight to the lived experience of phantom limb pain.Significance:This study reports unique phantom limb pain quality descriptor categories. Research Methods: This is a secondary analysis of an existing data set.  The original instrument included open-ended  interview to assess phantom limb pain quality descriptors.  Data were analyzed for emerging categories of phantom limb pain descriptors.Photo accessed 2-14-08 at http://www.who.int/classifications/apps/icf/photocontest/Default.aspx Demographics: The sample demographics were mean age 52.3 years, mean  education level 14.0 years, male 71.2%, and race/ethnicities were White 67.3%, Black 23.1%, Latino 1.9%, Native American 1.9%, and mixed 3.8%.Results:Two emerging categories were: ✶Different pain quality descriptors in different missing limbs✶Different pain quality descriptors in different locations within the same missing limbExemplar:Upper extremities: “Aching”Lower extremities: “Sharp, vulturous pain, electricity”Implications:Phantom limb pain quality descriptors may vary by location within and among missing limbs.  Nurses can incorporate this into pain assessment methods of research and practice.Funded by the Jody DeMeyer Endowment

Pain Quality Descriptors in Persons with Limb Loss

http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=hs_11

Pain Quality Descriptors in Persons with Limb Loss

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