In limb amputees, some<ref name="Nikolajsen">{{cite journal |author=Nikolajsen L, Ilkjaer S, Krøner K, Christensen JH, Jensen TS |title=The influence of preamputation pain on postamputation stump and phantom pain |journal=Pain |volume=72 |issue=3 |pages=393–405 |year=1997 |month=September |pmid=9313280 |doi= 10.1016/S0304-3959(97)00061-4|url=http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0304395997000614 |accessdate=2008-09-23}}</ref> but not all studies have found a correlation between preoperative pain in the affected limb and postoperative phantom pain. There is a significant association between painful and nonpainful phantom experiences and preoperative pain in the symptomatic eye and [[headache]].<ref name="Nicolodi">{{cite journal |first=M. |last=Nicolodi |coauthors=R. Frezzotti, A. Diadori, A. Nuti and F. Sicuteri |title=Phantom eye: features and prevalence. The predisposing role of headache |journal=Cephalalgia |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=501–4 |year=1997 |month=June |pmid=9209770 |doi= 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1997.1704501.x|url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/openurl?genre=article&sid=nlm:pubmed&issn=0333-1024&date=1997&volume=17&issue=4&spage=501 |accessdate=2008-09-23}}</ref> Based on the present data it is difficult to determine if headaches or preoperative eye pain play a causal role in the development of phantom phenomena, or if headache, preoperative eye pain, and postoperative phantom eye experiences are only epiphenomena of an underlying factor. However, a study in humans demonstrated that experimental pain leads to a rapid reorganization of the [[somatosensory cortex]].<ref name="Soros2">{{cite journal |first=Peter |last=Sörös |coauthors=Stefan Knechta, Carsten Bantelb, Tanya Imaia, Rainer Wüstenb, Christo Pantevc, Bernd Lütkenhönerc, Hartmut Bürkleb and Henning Henningsen |title=Functional reorganization of the human primary somatosensory cortex after acute pain demonstrated by magnetoencephalography |journal=Neuroscience Letters |volume=298 |issue=3 |pages=195–8 |year=2001 |month=February |pmid=11165440 |doi= 10.1016/S0304-3940(00)01752-3|url=http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0304394000017523 |accessdate=2008-09-23}}</ref> This study suggests that preoperative and postoperative pain may be an important cofactor for somatosensory reorganization and the development of phantom experiences.
