Karen has suffered from phantom limb pain for several years. She visits a neurologist who proposes trying a therapeutic treatment that has been proven to be effective. Karen is surprised that this simple treatment uses:

A) a bucket of ice and a bucket of warm water.
B) a mirror.
C) mental visualization and guided meditation.
D) acupuncture needles.

Answer: B
Rationale: One ingenious treatment for treating phantom pain involves the mirror box (Figure 4.36). This apparatus uses the reflection of the amputee's existing limb, such as an arm and hand, to create the visual appearance of having both limbs. Amputees often find that watching themselves move and stretch the phantom hand, which is actually the mirror image of the real hand, results in a significant decrease in phantom pain and discomfort.