Life Care Planning for the Amputee With Chronic Pain

Although amputation as a consequence of trauma will always result in short term pain, a few individuals with traumatic amputation go on to experience chronic pain that interferes with their quality of life. Pain in the amputee should be addressed using a team approach of health professionals who deal with a large number of amputees, since the problematic pain in an amputee is often associated with a pain generator that can be identified and improved. A pain treatment algorithm should be utilized and is provided with this article. Additionally, pain medication categories common for amputees are presented. Further, a well-fitted prosthesis will often result in a lessening of the amputee pain experience. Likewise, the emotional well-being of the amputee is usually inter-related with the pain experience, and counseling can be an important part of the team treatment plan. Functional outcomes should be utilized in determining if the amputee has achieved the ideal level of function, and the life care plan should take into account the expected outcomes for an individual’s particular level of amputation. A functional outcomes checklist is provided to assist the life care planner in determining expected functional outcomes for various levels of amputation.