sick, twisted, but interesting

[phatteus]

OK, folks. Rather new to the scene, but bear with me on this.

Question for anyone who is not easily offended.

Being a REALLY ticklish guy, I know that when a woman wiggles her nails near my feet, I go nuts, just KNOWING that the tickling is about to start. The anticipation is almost as glorious as the act itself.

Now, here is the question:

Does this work with prosthetics?

We all know (maybe) about the condition called "phantom pain", wherein an amputee will SWEAR that he/she feels an itch or an ache in a limb which has been "missing" for years. But does this also pertain to tickling?

Being ticklish, but NOT an amputee, and not knowing any ticklish amputees, I cannot answer this question myself.

Help a curios guy out.

 

[ticklehound]

From what I know of 'phantom pain,' the sensations are kinda like nerve short circuits that fool the brain into thinking there's something going on in the amputated limb. So it's kind of a random thing, and not something that can be elicited on the spot.

I've seen videos where tickled girls will giggle uncontrollably by the anticipated tickle, but that may be because they were getting tickled horribly not too long ago.

Of course, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Hound

 

[phatteus]

right so far, 'hound.

The brain likes to f%#$ with us every once in a while. When you or I get an itch, it is the brain's way of making certain that all sensors to that area are workng properly. Thus, we scratch the itch, actually destroying nerve endings, telling the brain "Okay, your little test worked, now CUT IT OUT!"

Phantom pain is a little like that, only the brain keeps sending these impulses to the affected area, and gets no response, so it sends bigger and more noticeable signals. "HEY! ANYONE HOME!?"

Unfortunatley, no one is at home, and the neurons has no choice but to end with a final synapse explosion (so to speak) telling the brain "hey, something is really wrong here, we'd better tell the Super." (the Super being you) and they issue a complaint in the form of a sharp pain; Pain being the telltale sign of something being wrong.

Aside from the HUD analogy, what I was getting at was whether tickling could affect prosthetics based solely (no pun intended) on the tickle-anticipation effect. (can I copywrite that term?)

any other takers?

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

This is a similar phenomenon to the sensations felt by those suffering from PTSD. Pain isn't experienced in the limb (or whereever) but in the brain TELLING the place that it hurts, feels tickley or whatever. If the person experienced tickling in the area before the amputation, I would imagine that they would be likely to have phantom sensations.

Interesting question, phatteus.

Ann

 

[ticklehound]

I dont believe in that. An itch is an itch. something on your skin irritates, and the receptors tell the brain, there's something on your skin - take care of it - it could be trouble. You don't destroy nerve endings when you scratch -you only remove lotsa dead skin and hopefully the irritant.

pain and all that is nothing but signals the brain gets telling it that something may be going on. the brain remembers what the limb used to feel like, so it can make you think the limb is still there when it isn't. the brain doesn't like holes and things that don't make sense, so it will fill in the gaps to make it make sense - that's how optical illusions work.

hey - it looks like i actually did learn something in school.

hound

 

[phatteus]

Thank you Ann,

It's always good to be complimented by a fellow Nutmegger

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

You're a fellow nutmegger??? Well! Drop me a note! We keep trying to get folks together...if only to gab and have dinner.

Ann