Compassion and Understanding Motivate Amputees to Recovery

One thing that all amputees can likely agree on is that limb-loss is a life-altering experience. The only question that remains for many is whether it is an unfortunate blip in an otherwise healthy and active life, or is it a blow that sinks the patient into depression, immobility and serious mental health issues. In the case of elderly and less-fit patients, the struggle is trying to recover and maximize quality of life and avoid succumbing to the palpable physical and emotional loss that comes with amputation. In both cases, amputee patients exist on a threshold where ‘Door 1’ opens to an arduous path that culminates in an amazing recovery and return to a happy and vibrant life, and ‘Door 2’ where the patient feels alone, empty, scared and a shell of their former self. If it were as easy as merely opting for ‘Door 1’, the recovery process would be easy; unfortunately it is not. And yet, even after something as life-altering as amputation, safely navigating the long and difficult journey to recovery is very possible and actually likely, provided you have the right medical treatment and support.  By putting yourself in the hands of our specialists and therapists at the Mount Sinai Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, you can guarantee to have among the world’s leading experts motivating you to a brilliant return to the ‘old-you’ through our cutting-edge medical services that are informed and guided by compassion and understanding.

In the first instance amputation seriously disrupts the little things that you might have previously taken for granted, like going to the toilet or doing the dishes. It can affect mobility and all that entails, including nipping out to the shop for some milk or going out to meet friends for a meal. It can also create a seemingly insurmountable wall preventing you from staying physically active, including riding a bike, rock climbing or participating in the sports you love. And, of course, there are a range of implications for the ways in which your physical limitations might impact on your family, not to mention your social and love life. Yet, perhaps counter-intuitively the most palpable adversity an amputee faces is mental and emotional, including anger, denial, depression, poor body image, self-esteem, quality of life and even thoughts of suicide. Those who have suffered traumatic amputations can even suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Beyond this, even the most physically fit, upbeat and positive amputee patient might find their spirits dampened when faced with the almost-always long and hard road to recovery, mobility and activity that involves countless hours of physical therapy. One could say that an amputee’s best friend is patience, positive energy and their mental health; and yet, these are the aspects on which patients are often most challenged, which can impede and derail the return to a fulfilling and physically active life without the proper medical, emotional and psychological support. 

Through your whole journey to recovery – beginning with pre-amputation – it is imperative that you are guided by specialists and therapists with the expertise to make you better and the compassion and understanding to prepare you to face successfully the challenges that amputation will present. Our amputation treatment plans at the Mount Sinai Department of Rehabilitation Medicine are always personalized and consider your physical condition, mental and emotional health and life outside of a rehabilitation setting. We make sure that all patients have a full range of necessary emotional support at their disposal, including group, family and one-on-one therapy. We know how difficult it is to experience an amputation, but we also know the amazing life that is waiting for you at the end of your recovery. As such your treatment plan will guide you sensitively but with encouragement so you are able to fulfill your rehabilitation goals. We are proud to have as the foundation of our treatments the fact that we are New York City’s first amputation and prosthetic training program to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), which recognizes our expertise in and commitment to supporting the needs of amputees by always improving our program and becoming the standard for modern amputation and prosthetic training care.

Here is a snapshot of some of our key inpatient and outpatient services that will guide you to recovery:

• Developing coping skills to handle the emotional stresses that may come with experiencing amputation.
• Helping you set goals every step of the way from preparation for your prosthetic to getting you ready for full mobility and participating in your favorite outdoor and sports activities.
• Helping you manage pain and discomfort.
• Providing support to increase independence and self-care.
• Access to our Limb Loss Support Group, a program designed to provide peer support to patients following amputation. It meets monthly and is led by a psychologist to discuss issues relating to body image, social acceptance and techniques for maintaining a positive attitude. 

If you are scheduled to have an amputation – or are a family member or friend of somebody who is – and would like to discuss the ways in which our specialists’ and therapists’ expertise, compassion and understanding can motivate you through the recovery process, please get in touch with us at (212) 241-6321.

What Is An EMG/NCS And How Can It Change Your Life?

At Mount Sinai’s Department of Rehabilitative Medicine, we will sometimes refer patients to complete an Electrodiagnostic test when an underlying muscle issue is unobvious. These tests are helpful in evaluating weakness, numbness, and pain; and there are two main components in the examination – the electromyographic examination (EMG) and the nerve conduction study (NCS). 

While the EMG and NCS are different tests, they’re often used together as the information from each test synergises with the other, giving a more complete analysis.

The tests will inform our physicians on unexplained muscle weakness, twitching, paralysis, and find the cause of numbness and pain the patient may be experiencing. Most importantly, it informs your physician on whether there is a muscle disorder in the muscle itself, or within a nearby nerve.

The EMG and NCS are considered non-invasive imaging tests, although there will be a needle involved. Your physician will insert a very fine needle, which acts as an electrode through the skin and into the problematic muscle. You will be asked to begin contracting the muscle by moving the area local to your symptoms. For example, the needle will be placed into the tricep, and the patient will slowly extend the arm, contracting the tricep with increased force as the electrical activity is recorded. Activity within the localized area will be visualized and available to watch on an oscilloscope and played audially through a speaker. These results can inform our physicians on the muscles ability to respond to nerve stimulation.

Nerve stimulation is often reported to causes a tingling sensation however there are no long-term effects. The EMG and NCS usually require an hour to complete and there are no restrictions in activities or meals before or after the test. Patients however do frequently feel some minor discomfort, similar to an injection, when the needle is inserted – with examined muscles feeling sore for a few days. There may also be light bruising in the affected area.

The results will also be able to help us diagnose neuromuscular diseases, and motor control disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome or muscular dystrophy. From this point, there is no general direction as results will vary, and diagnosis will simply point you toward the optimal rehabilitation.

If you are suffering from an undiagnosed muscle issue and think you could benefit from a EMG/NCS diagnosis please contact our switch on (212) 241-6321) to see if our physicians can further help.