In 1971, Ian Waterman suddenly collapsed from a severe case of what seemed to be gastric flu. His illness passed after a few days, but a stranger set of symptoms lingered. Waterman was unable to move and feel anything from the neck down, and was eventually diagnosed with a rare and extreme form of deafferentation, a neurological condition in which certain signals from the nervous system are interrupted or impaired. He taught himself to use sight to judge the distance of his limbs from other objects, and eventually regained control of his body, so long as he could see it.
The somatosensory system is a network that oversees all the sensations arising from the surface and interior of our bodies, including touch, pain, temperature, and our awareness of our bodies in space (proprioception). This system is regulated by millions of tiny receptor cells embedded in our skin, muscles, tendons, and organs. When this process is disrupted, the effects can be dramatic. Damage to the somatosensory system can manifest in a wide variety of ways, and the impact of this loss can be significant. Losing tactile sensations can make it difficult to gauge how much strength to use in a situation, while being deprived of social touch can cause a condition known as touch starvation. However, many individuals who face these realities have found innovative ways to adapt. It is undeniable that the intangible feelings we experience play an essential part in how we interact with the world, though it may be hard to pinpoint them.