They occur almost regularly in 50 to 90 per cent of amputees, and their incidence varies depending on the patient's age, i.e. they occur more frequently in advanced age.

The types of sensation reported are feelings of cold and pressure, "kinetic" (= moving) phantom movements and direct position and posture phantom sensations. These are attributable to the central "map" of the body in the brain. After bilateral amputations, phantom sensations are more often felt on the dominant side and persist for longest in the hands and feet. This is also due to the increased representation of these regions of the locomotor system in the brain. Memory in the central brain fades and leads to "telescoping" – or a "phantom shrinkage".

Since phantom sensations do not generally cause any symptoms, treatment is not normally necessary.