• Ariana Gover-Chamlou and Jack W Tsao.
• 1 Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland.
• Telemed J E Health. 2016 Feb 1; 22 (2): 176-179.

BackgroundIn response to rising healthcare costs and the social and economic burden of outpatient rehabilitation services, telepain management has emerged as an exciting alternative method of clinical care. Patients with limb amputations who experience phantom limb pain (PLP) are typically treated unsuccessfully using medications, injections, or additional surgeries. Mirror therapy is a noninvasive, cost-effective alternative to current treatment options for PLP.Patients And MethodsWe report 2 patients who self-administered mirror therapy at home after receiving detailed instructions from a physician by e-mail.ResultsThe intervention resulted in complete resolution of PLP. The first patient experienced a reduction in the severity and frequency of PLP episodes after 4 weeks of treatment. Pain completely resolved after an additional 4 weeks of treatment, which was restarted 4 months after the initial course of therapy. The second patient experienced complete eradication of pain after 4 weeks of treatment.ConclusionsPLP relief can be obtained using home-based mirror therapy with initiation, feedback, and follow-up with healthcare professionals conducted entirely through telemedicine.

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