For somewhere between 50 and 80-percent of people who have undergone an amputation, this is a very real experience. Known as phantom limb disorder, phantom limb pain, or simply PLP, this post-op phenomenon occurs most often in people who lose an arm or a leg. Phantom pain may also follow the removal of other body parts including the breast, penis, or eye. No matter what body part is amputated, the condition manifests as recurrent pain in that spot. Some people also report other sensations, like cramping and tingling in the phantom part. Doctors once thought PLP was a psychological condition, brought on by a patient's grief over the lost limb or body part. They now believe that these feelings more likely stem from the central nervous system. Researchers think that if this is true, PLP may be explained by confused nerve endings at the site of the amputation, which continue to send pain signals to the brain even after the limb is removed. Or they think it could be due to the brain re-routing the missing limb's sensory input to another area of the body, such as from a missing foot to a real hip. In a case like this, any stimulation to the hip would also be felt in the phantom foot. Because its cause is unclear, phantom limb pain is difficult to treat. Doctors may prescribe antidepressants, like Elavil, and anticonvulsants like Topamax or Neurontin, which minimize the transmission of pain signals. Experimental therapies may help treat PLP. Common options include acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, a procedure where weak electrical currents are sent to the area of discomfort, in the hopes of dulling pain signals. Hypnosis, massage and relaxation techniques are also options that may help ease PLP. Despite the existence of these treatment options, a recent survey found that, some 53-percent of amputation patients don't seek out help for the problem. Don't be among them! If you're about to undergo an amputation, or you've recently experienced one, talk to your doctor about phantom limb pain.