Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

How can people that had a limb amputated still feel sensation in that limb that isn't even there?

4 Answers

Relevance
  • 2 decades ago
    Favorite Answer

    Nerves stimulate areas of the brain that correspond to the part of the body they connect with. The part may be gone, but the brain area isn't and can be stimulated by the remainder of the nerves, other brain areas, or just become slightly active. The brain doesn't know the part is gone and anytime that area is stimulated you feel the body part even if it isn't there due to amputation.

  • 2 decades ago

    Yes- it's called phantom pains- it's caused by the nerves that are still there giving the false impression of sensation in the missing limb

  • 2 decades ago

    I think that its because the remaining part of nerves that once ran to the limb carries some impulse to the brain. The brain interpretes this as information comming from the limb and hence the person 'feels' his/her limb.

  • Anonymous
    2 decades ago

    Yeah, a side effect of amputation is something I *think* is called phantom pains, where they feel pain where the limb used to be.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.