What is central poststroke pain?
Central poststroke pain (CPSP), also known as thalamic pain, results from injury to the thalamus or parietal lobe by ischemic or hemorrhagic lesions. The pain is usually dysesthetic with continuous burning, and may be associated with uncomfortable paresthesias. Allodynia is common, and some patients experience dramatic hyperpathia, with diffuse radiation of pain and continued pain for a prolonged period after a stimulus is removed from the skin. The pain can present in the entire hemibody or be localized to a small region. Occasional patients have a so-called cheiro-oral distribution (perioral region and ipsilateral hand). CPSP typically occurs months to years after injury.