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Residual limb pain

Residual limb pain, sometimes called stump pain, is a type of pain felt in the part of a limb that remains after an amputation. It occurs in about half of people who have had an amputation. It may occur soon after the surgery, often within the first week, but may also last beyond healing. Residual limb pain usually isn’t severe, but it may feel:

In some people, the residual limb may move uncontrollably in small or significant ways. Residual limb pain is different from phantom pain, which is pain that seems to come from an amputated limb. But residual limb pain and phantom pain often occur together. Research shows that more than half of people with phantom pain also have residual limb pain.

Residual limb pain may be caused by:

It’s important to get an accurate diagnosis and identify the cause of your residual limb pain, as some causes may be reversible. Tests and procedures used to diagnose residual limb pain may include:

Treatment for residual limb pain focuses on treating the underlying cause of the pain, if possible. In about half of people with residual limb pain, the pain eventually improves without treatment. Treatment options for residual limb pain may involve medications, including

Other treatment options include:

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