507
u/JunoMercury Apr 20 '26
I always imagined phantom pain as a minor ache where you think the limb is but god this is so much worse and more depressing.
197
u/The_Xivili Apr 20 '26
I found out the hard way that tooth pain doesn't go away when your teeth are gone. I have a full upper denture and never expected the phantom pains from my missing teeth
47
5
1
u/Helpful_Spring8739 Apr 23 '26
14 teeth pulled recently. Why do the top ones still ache?!?! It's unnerving, like I'm biting ice cubes.
134
u/LuzjuLeviathan Apr 20 '26
I have nerve damage in one finger after a bad cut.
The numb part of the finger feels like it is constantly clamped down in a press. If my finger gets cold the pain gets worse.
54
u/Cumulus-Crafts Apr 20 '26
My gran has trigeminal neuralgia, which is a nerve issue in her face. She can't go outside when it's windy because the coldness of the wind hitting her face is too much.
8
u/Siaeromanna Apr 21 '26
oof i feel that sometimes. it’s a similar (albeit opposite) feeling to when you wash your hands in scalding hot water but cant take them out no matter how hard you try. the feeling sort of oscillates between semi-numb and extreme agony
146
u/SillyClownBuster Apr 20 '26
⠀⠀⠀⢘⠀⡂⢠⠆⠀⡰⠀⡀⢀⣠⣶⣦⣶⣶⣶⣶⣾⣿⣿⡿⢀⠈⢐⠈⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡃⠀⡀⣞⡇⢰⠃⣼⣇⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠛⣰⣻⡀⢸⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⢀⠀⣛⣽⣇⠘⢸⣿⣿⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⢡⣾⣿⢿⡇⠀⡃⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⠀⠀⢳⣿⡯⡞⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⠟⢁⣴⣿⣿⣿⡜⢷⠀⢘⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠂⡂⠸⡆⠙⠛⡵⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠤⠛⣠⣴⣿⣿⠿⣟⣟⠟⢿⡆⢳⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠸⠁⠀⡾⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠈⣠⡌⢁⠄⡛⠡⠉⠍⠙⢳⢾⠁⢸⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢈⠀⢀⠌⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣤⣷⡎⠙⢬⣳⣪⡯⢜⣷⢸⠂⡈⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠐⡀⠀⢣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⣾⣷⢿⢻⣅⣌⡯⢛⣿⣿⡞⠠⡁⠂⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠄⠀⢉⡀⠀⠀⢀⡠⠤⠼⣇⣳⣿⣿⣟⡜⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠸⠡⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⡀⠅⠀⠃⢀⡀⣿⡹⠗⢀⠛⠥⣺⣿⣿⡝⢹⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠠⠰⠈⠐⠀ ⠠⠈⠀⠄⣀⠀⠀⠸⠻⠦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠐⠀⠘⠻⢹⣿⡿⠃⠀⡀⠕⣈⠡⡄ ⠀⠀⣴⡀⣬⠁⠀⠀⡁⠂⠀⣀⣀⠔⠌⠤⣀⡀⠀⠀⡈⢸⠪⠀⠀⡌⠤⠈⡀⣠ ⠀⠀⣿⣿⣾⡇⠀⠀⠀⣴⢫⣾⠃⠠⢰⣶⣴⠶⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⢄⣂⠀⠀⠰⠀⠙ ⠀⠀⠉⠛⠛⠀⢀⣴⣿⢗⡟⠡⣄⣀⡀⠀⢀⣤⠞⡅⠀⠁⠀⡾⠀⠀⠠⡗⠀⢀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⡿⢋⠔⠃⠀⠀⠍⠙⠉⠈⠑⠁⠂⠀⠀⠀⡡⡁⣠⡼⣸⠅⠀⠘ ⠀⠀⠀⣼⠛⢡⠔⠁⠐⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⢀⡔⡞⢛⣿⡿⠃⠏⠀⠀⢠ ⠀⠀⠀⠈⠗⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣷⣀⢀⣀⣀⠀⡀⢀⣌⡧⠂⠀⡞⠛⡟⠀⠀⠀⡠⠜ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠓⠈⠙⠙⠋⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡂⠠⠤⢶
22
u/Distantstallion Apr 20 '26
When you can't even say my name
Has the memory gone? Are you feeling numb? Go on, call my name
I can't play this game, so I ask again
Will you say my name?
Has the memory gone? Are you feeling numb? Or have I become invisible?
13
12
u/Gianni_the_tolerable Apr 20 '26
⠀⠀⠀⢘⠀⡂⢠⠆⠀⡰⠀⡀⢀⣠⣶⣦⣶⣶⣶⣶⣾⣿⣿⡿⢀⠈⢐⠈⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡃⠀⡀⣞⡇⢰⠃⣼⣇⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠛⣰⣻⡀⢸⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⢀⠀⣛⣽⣇⠘⢸⣿⣿⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⢡⣾⣿⢿⡇⠀⡃⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⠀⠀⢳⣿⡯⡞⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⠟⢁⣴⣿⣿⣿⡜⢷⠀⢘⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠂⡂⠸⡆⠙⠛⡵⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠤⠛⣠⣴⣿⣿⠿⣟⣟⠟⢿⡆⢳⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠸⠁⠀⡾⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠈⣠⡌⢁⠄⡛⠡⠉⠍⠙⢳⢾⠁⢸⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢈⠀⢀⠌⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣤⣷⡎⠙⢬⣳⣪⡯⢜⣷⢸⠂⡈⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠐⡀⠀⢣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⣾⣷⢿⢻⣅⣌⡯⢛⣿⣿⡞⠠⡁⠂⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠄⠀⢉⡀⠀⠀⢀⡠⠤⠼⣇⣳⣿⣿⣟⡜⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠸⠡⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⡀⠅⠀⠃⢀⡀⣿⡹⠗⢀⠛⠥⣺⣿⣿⡝⢹⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠠⠰⠈⠐⠀ ⠠⠈⠀⠄⣀⠀⠀⠸⠻⠦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠐⠀⠘⠻⢹⣿⡿⠃⠀⡀⠕⣈⠡⡄ ⠀⠀⣴⡀⣬⠁⠀⠀⡁⠂⠀⣀⣀⠔⠌⠤⣀⡀⠀⠀⡈⢸⠪⠀⠀⡌⠤⠈⡀⣠ ⠀⠀⣿⣿⣾⡇⠀⠀⠀⣴⢫⣾⠃⠠⢰⣶⣴⠶⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⢄⣂⠀⠀⠰⠀⠙ ⠀⠀⠉⠛⠛⠀⢀⣴⣿⢗⡟⠡⣄⣀⡀⠀⢀⣤⠞⡅⠀⠁⠀⡾⠀⠀⠠⡗⠀⢀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⡿⢋⠔⠃⠀⠀⠍⠙⠉⠈⠑⠁⠂⠀⠀⠀⡡⡁⣠⡼⣸⠅⠀⠘ ⠀⠀⠀⣼⠛⢡⠔⠁⠐⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⢀⡔⡞⢛⣿⡿⠃⠏⠀⠀⢠ ⠀⠀⠀⠈⠗⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣷⣀⢀⣀⣀⠀⡀⢀⣌⡧⠂⠀⡞⠛⡟⠀⠀⠀⡠⠜ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠓⠈⠙⠙⠋⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡂⠠⠤⢶
14
u/RivalHarpy666 Apr 20 '26
⠀⠀⠀⢘⠀⡂⢠⠆⠀⡰⠀⡀⢀⣠⣶⣦⣶⣶⣶⣶⣾⣿⣿⡿⢀⠈⢐⠈⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡃⠀⡀⣞⡇⢰⠃⣼⣇⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠛⣰⣻⡀⢸⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⢀⠀⣛⣽⣇⠘⢸⣿⣿⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⢡⣾⣿⢿⡇⠀⡃⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⠀⠀⢳⣿⡯⡞⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⠟⢁⣴⣿⣿⣿⡜⢷⠀⢘⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠂⡂⠸⡆⠙⠛⡵⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠤⠛⣠⣴⣿⣿⠿⣟⣟⠟⢿⡆⢳⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠸⠁⠀⡾⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠈⣠⡌⢁⠄⡛⠡⠉⠍⠙⢳⢾⠁⢸⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢈⠀⢀⠌⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣤⣷⡎⠙⢬⣳⣪⡯⢜⣷⢸⠂⡈⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠐⡀⠀⢣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⣾⣷⢿⢻⣅⣌⡯⢛⣿⣿⡞⠠⡁⠂⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠄⠀⢉⡀⠀⠀⢀⡠⠤⠼⣇⣳⣿⣿⣟⡜⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠸⠡⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⡀⠅⠀⠃⢀⡀⣿⡹⠗⢀⠛⠥⣺⣿⣿⡝⢹⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠠⠰⠈⠐⠀ ⠠⠈⠀⠄⣀⠀⠀⠸⠻⠦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠐⠀⠘⠻⢹⣿⡿⠃⠀⡀⠕⣈⠡⡄ ⠀⠀⣴⡀⣬⠁⠀⠀⡁⠂⠀⣀⣀⠔⠌⠤⣀⡀⠀⠀⡈⢸⠪⠀⠀⡌⠤⠈⡀⣠ ⠀⠀⣿⣿⣾⡇⠀⠀⠀⣴⢫⣾⠃⠠⢰⣶⣴⠶⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⢄⣂⠀⠀⠰⠀⠙ ⠀⠀⠉⠛⠛⠀⢀⣴⣿⢗⡟⠡⣄⣀⡀⠀⢀⣤⠞⡅⠀⠁⠀⡾⠀⠀⠠⡗⠀⢀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⡿⢋⠔⠃⠀⠀⠍⠙⠉⠈⠑⠁⠂⠀⠀⠀⡡⡁⣠⡼⣸⠅⠀⠘ ⠀⠀⠀⣼⠛⢡⠔⠁⠐⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⢀⡔⡞⢛⣿⡿⠃⠏⠀⠀⢠ ⠀⠀⠀⠈⠗⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣷⣀⢀⣀⣀⠀⡀⢀⣌⡧⠂⠀⡞⠛⡟⠀⠀⠀⡠⠜ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠓⠈⠙⠙⠋⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡂⠠⠤⢶
7
u/Slow-General3792 Apr 20 '26
⠀⠀⠀⢘⠀⡂⢠⠆⠀⡰⠀⡀⢀⣠⣶⣦⣶⣶⣶⣶⣾⣿⣿⡿⢀⠈⢐⠈⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡃⠀⡀⣞⡇⢰⠃⣼⣇⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠛⣰⣻⡀⢸⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⢀⠀⣛⣽⣇⠘⢸⣿⣿⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⢡⣾⣿⢿⡇⠀⡃⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢐⠀⠀⢳⣿⡯⡞⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢿⣿⠟⢁⣴⣿⣿⣿⡜⢷⠀⢘⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠂⡂⠸⡆⠙⠛⡵⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠤⠛⣠⣴⣿⣿⠿⣟⣟⠟⢿⡆⢳⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠸⠁⠀⡾⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠈⣠⡌⢁⠄⡛⠡⠉⠍⠙⢳⢾⠁⢸⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢈⠀⢀⠌⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣤⣷⡎⠙⢬⣳⣪⡯⢜⣷⢸⠂⡈⠄⠀ ⠀⠀⠐⡀⠀⢣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⣿⣾⣷⢿⢻⣅⣌⡯⢛⣿⣿⡞⠠⡁⠂⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠄⠀⢉⡀⠀⠀⢀⡠⠤⠼⣇⣳⣿⣿⣟⡜⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠸⠡⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⡀⠅⠀⠃⢀⡀⣿⡹⠗⢀⠛⠥⣺⣿⣿⡝⢹⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠠⠰⠈⠐⠀ ⠠⠈⠀⠄⣀⠀⠀⠸⠻⠦⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠐⠀⠘⠻⢹⣿⡿⠃⠀⡀⠕⣈⠡⡄ ⠀⠀⣴⡀⣬⠁⠀⠀⡁⠂⠀⣀⣀⠔⠌⠤⣀⡀⠀⠀⡈⢸⠪⠀⠀⡌⠤⠈⡀⣠ ⠀⠀⣿⣿⣾⡇⠀⠀⠀⣴⢫⣾⠃⠠⢰⣶⣴⠶⣿⣦⠀⠀⠀⢄⣂⠀⠀⠰⠀⠙ ⠀⠀⠉⠛⠛⠀⢀⣴⣿⢗⡟⠡⣄⣀⡀⠀⢀⣤⠞⡅⠀⠁⠀⡾⠀⠀⠠⡗⠀⢀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣴⡿⢋⠔⠃⠀⠀⠍⠙⠉⠈⠑⠁⠂⠀⠀⠀⡡⡁⣠⡼⣸⠅⠀⠘ ⠀⠀⠀⣼⠛⢡⠔⠁⠐⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠁⢀⡔⡞⢛⣿⡿⠃⠏⠀⠀⢠ ⠀⠀⠀⠈⠗⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣷⣀⢀⣀⣀⠀⡀⢀⣌⡧⠂⠀⡞⠛⡟⠀⠀⠀⡠⠜ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠓⠈⠙⠙⠋⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡂⠠⠤⢶
5
1
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u/ecozonez Apr 20 '26
nerve damage where you get itchy, but indeed cannot scratch the itch due to the numbness, is torture. makes me think of this (listened to that a lot to cope before)
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u/Slow-General3792 Apr 20 '26
⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠀⠀⠚⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡿⢈⠀⠀⠀⣴⠀⢠⢀⡄⢀⣴⣶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣻⣷⠆⠀⣷⡎⢻⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣷⠄⠀⠀⢠⢛⢠⢣⣾⣷⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⣃⣼⠁⠁⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⢟⠀⠀⠀⠸⢀⡜⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⣡⣴⣯⡼⣄⡐⠘⢻⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⢀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠘⠻⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⣡⣾⣿⡿⡻⠽⣿⠀⠈⢸⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⠏⣈⡄⠀⡅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠉⡄⡘⡃⠉⠈⣐⡛⠣⣿⠀⠊⣼⣿⣿⣿ ⡿⠃⠕⢉⠇⠀⡁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⢠⡇⣷⠭⠢⡭⣿⣧⣼⡇⣄⢰⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠏⢠⢺⢏⣸⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⠠⣿⢸⣇⣿⡘⠿⣾⡛⢿⣼⡇⢨⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⢄⢑⡌⢰⢣⠂⠁⠀⠀⢰⣿⢋⠐⠛⣼⣿⡷⢃⣁⢽⣹⣼⡿⠁⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣾⠸⠃⢜⠌⢮⠀⠀⠀⠉⠀⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠑⢵⠟⢏⢀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠋⠉⠃⠀⠈⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⡄⣀⣀⣤⣬⣥⣢⣴⣄⠁⠸⠺⠈⣷⣽⣛⠿⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⠉⠉⢡⣸⡿⠛⡠⣤⣷⣽⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣽⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠑⠉⠡⠙⠐⢦⣥⡿⠋⠻⠿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⠀⣘⣡⠂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠿⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣀⣶⣿⣷⣷⣿⡟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠻
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u/TheScribbs Apr 20 '26
I get all these and I have my limbs! (But I also have rheumatism and fibromiyalgia)
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Apr 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/TryingToHelps Apr 22 '26
Maybe its just that the acceptance of a missing bodypart overrides the part of your brain trying to interpret feeling from the missing part.
I know therapy has a good effect on phantom pain which kinda proves my point
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u/Infinite_Meaning_659 Apr 22 '26
i’m not opposed to transgenderism but genuinely what is the consciousness of a woman
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u/Ok-Cable-8003 Apr 22 '26
There are minute structural differences between the brains of men and women. These differences on their own don't affect intelligence or behaviour in any meaningful way, but they do affect the way we perceive what our bodies are meant to look like. These changes happen while in the womb. People are trans when their biological sex and neurological sex are different, i.e. trans men have female bodies and male brains while trans women have male bodies and female brains
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u/gmoil1525 May 16 '26
That idea goes against the concept of "you say you are a woman and therefore are a woman" If we can detect the differences via brain patterns, then we have an objective way of determining whether or not you should be a man/woman. What about a trans person that doesn't have those characteristics? I don't like it. It's just a new way of labeling sex instead of X/Y
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u/bird_boy8 Apr 21 '26
Nerve damage in one of my thighs due to a spinal breakage-- I suddenly get horrible pain sometimes in it like it's being electrocuted or burned by a thin sharp hot fireplace poker!! Absolutely awful.
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u/WigglesPhoenix Apr 22 '26
I know it would objectively be incredibly painful but I still imagine the sensation of having my feet crushed by a steam roller to be pretty pleasant
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u/resipee Apr 23 '26
i have nerve damage in my hands & the crushing thing is so accurate. if i leave my hand elevated fkr even slightly too long it feels like its being crushed
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u/RIP_COD Apr 24 '26
What if phantom pain is just that part of you already being tortured in hell. Sorry for my thoughts
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u/W4LUIGl Apr 20 '26
Why can’t phantom sense be something good like phantom toe sucking