Answer: the nursing staff should acknowledge these feelings and help the patient modify the perception.
Explanation: phantom limb may occur 2 or 3 months after amputation. The patient normally complains of numbness, tingling, muscle cramps and a feeling that the extremity is present, crushed or in an abnormal position.
The nurse can help the patient modify these perception by keeping the patient active, early intensive rehabilitation, distraction techniques. Trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation may bring relief to some patients.