Phantom limb pain (abbreviate to PLP) is a rare occurrence that most people will never experience. PLP is a sensation of pain that only amputees can comprehend. An individual with an amputated limb may experience sensations of throbbing and sometimes constant pain where the limb used to be, which now no longer exists. To a healthy individual this pain may seem fake or imaginary, but to an amputee who experiences PLP, the pain is very real. It is estimated that an astonishing 60-80% of amputees will experience PLP in some form throughout their life (Reference A). There are several proposed sources of PLP, however the cause is still unknown to scientists today. For most amputees, the pain is temporary and most often felt post surgery or amputation.
