Clinical Intervention Using Body Shadows for a Patient with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Who Reported Severe Pain and Self-Disgust Toward the Affected Site: A Case Report

Abstract

A woman in her thirties developed complex regional pain syndrome in her left shoulder due to a traffic accident. She demonstrated autonomic nervous symptoms (swelling, sweating, and skin color asymmetry) in her left hand, severe allodynia, neglect-like symptoms (NLS), impaired body image associated with impaired body awareness, and functional impairment of the left shoulder and elbow. She also reported physical self-disgust toward her affected limb, describing it as “reptilian,” as well as aversion to touching others; this body awareness exacerbated her pain and NLS. We therefore conducted stepwise interventions using body shadows. The intervention did not trigger physical self-disgust, enabling formation of body ownership and a body image unaccompanied by pain. Consequently, the patient showed improvements in pain, NLS, and autonomic nervous symptoms.

Keywords:

• pain
• neglect-like symptoms
• physical self-disgust
• body shadow intervention
• body image

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Editage for English language editing assistance. This study did not receive any funding support from external sources.

Disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest in this work.