Phantom Pain

Phantom Pain

From Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

December 19, 2025 · 28 min

About this episode

The episode explores the phenomenon of phantom pain, its causes, and the subjective nature of pain experiences.

What exactly is 'phantom pain' and how does it work? Hannah and Dara investigate a medical phenomenon that's been known about for centuries but is often misunderstood; and involves masses of unanswered questions. The condition 'phantom pain' is when someone gets a sensation of pain that feels like it's coming from a part of their body that's no longer there - so that could be an amputated limb, or perhaps something that has been removed, such as a tooth or an organ. It's thought to be caused by how the brain and body process pain and physical awareness, but there's still debate around what exactly is going on neurologically. Researchers around the world are looking into the condition; in the meantime, people who experience phantom pain - like today's studio guest Lynn - often have to try out a range of treatments, to find out what combination works best for them. But as the team discover, pain is deeply subjective - and in this case, there is really no 'right answer'... Contributors: - Tamar Makin, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge, where she leads the Plasticity Lab; - Lynn Williams, a qualified…

People in this episode

Hosts: Hannah, Dara

Guest: Lynn Williams

Topics covered

  • phantom pain
  • neurology
  • pain management
  • amputation
  • subjective experience

Keywords

  • phantom pain
  • neurology
  • amputation
  • pain management
  • subjective pain

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

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