Central poststroke pain: current diagnosis and treatment

Top Stroke Rehabil. 2013 Mar-Apr;20(2):116-23. doi: 10.1310/tsr2002-116.

Abstract

Central post-stroke pain syndrome (CPSP) is a debilitating sequel that can follow thalamic sensory stroke. Less well recognized, CPSP follows lateral medullary stroke and parietal cortical stroke and may develop anywhere along the spinothalamic or trigemino-thalamic pathways. Patients describe sharp, stabbing, or burning pain and experience hyperpathia and especially allodynia. Although CPSP was first described over 100 years ago, CPSP is too frequently underrecognized. It is treatable disorder. Pharmacological therapy, magnetic stimulation, and invasive electrical stimulation are reviewed and recommendations made.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain / diagnosis*
  • Pain / etiology*
  • Pain Management / methods*
  • Stroke / complications*