The prevalence of phantom limb pain is reported to be as high as 85%. In most amputees, the frequency and intensity of pain attacks decrease over the years; however, approximately 5-10% of amputees continue to have severe phantom limb pain. Unfortunately, the current treatment for chronic phantom limb pain is far from satisfactory. Guidelines in line with treatment regimens used for other neuropathic pain conditions are probably the best approximation, and a multimodal approach that combines both pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions should be applied. Preamputation pain increases the risk of phantom pain, but most studies on perioperative analgesic interventions have shown negative results. The pathophysiology underlying phantom limb pain can be broadly categorized in terms of peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal mechanisms. The relative contribution of each mechanism may vary from one amputee to another, and furthermore, it may change over time in the individual patient.