{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T10:11:05Z","timestamp":1790071865030,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790035200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Neurol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Stroke disproportionately affects Africa, where incidence and prevalence rates rank among the highest reported worldwide, and case-fatality remains high. As acute survival improves in many, though not all, African settings, the burden of chronic post-stroke sequelae is growing, yet non-motor complications such as pain remain comparatively neglected in both clinical practice and research relative to motor and cognitive outcomes. Post-stroke pain is a heterogeneous group of syndromes, including central post-stroke pain, hemiplegic shoulder pain, spasticity-related musculoskeletal pain, post-stroke headache, and complex regional pain syndrome, each with distinct mechanisms and management pathways. This narrative review summarizes the sparse but growing African evidence base on post-stroke pain epidemiology and clinical phenotypes, drawing on data from Egypt, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, and situates it within global comparators. We identify substantial unmet needs across assessment, including the absence of pain-screening tools validated in African languages, limited diagnostic infrastructure, and low clinician awareness, and across management, including restricted pharmacological access, scarce rehabilitation workforce, limited access to interventional options, and the parallel, poorly integrated use of traditional and complementary medicine. We propose a research and policy agenda prioritizing validated assessment tools, phenotype-specific prevalence studies, and pragmatic, resource-appropriate management models suited to African health systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2026.1946268","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T09:44:54Z","timestamp":1790070294000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Post-stroke pain syndromes in Africa: epidemiology, clinical phenotypes, and unmet needs in assessment and management"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Nicholas","family":"Aderinto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology","place":["Ogbomoso, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thomas","family":"Oyediran","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Health, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology","place":["Ogbomoso, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Temitomi Jane","family":"Oyedele","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine and Surgery, Bowen University, Iwo","place":["Osun, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nwamaka Chidera","family":"Bob-Ume","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, University of Port Harcourt","place":["Port Harcourt, Nigeria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.1177\/17474930241308142","article-title":"World stroke organization: global stroke fact sheet 2025","volume":"20","author":"Feigin","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int J Stroke"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"634","DOI":"10.1038\/s41582-021-00542-4","article-title":"Stroke in Africa: profile, progress, prospects and priorities","volume":"17","author":"Akinyemi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat Rev Neurol"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107733","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2024.107733","article-title":"A systematic review of the epidemiology and the public health implications of stroke in sub-Saharan Africa","volume":"33","author":"Abissegue","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S27","DOI":"10.5830\/CVJA-2015-038","article-title":"The burden of stroke in Africa: a glance at the present and a glimpse into the future","volume":"26","author":"Owolabi","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cardiovasc J Afr"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100410","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nexres.2025.100410","article-title":"Prevalence, characteristics, and treatment outcomes of stroke in Nigeria: a systematic review","volume":"2","author":"Aderinto","year":"2025","journal-title":"Next Research"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"360","DOI":"10.1186\/s12883-024-03867-x","article-title":"Prevalence and associated factors of post-stroke depression in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"24","author":"Getachew","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Neurol"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3655","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm10163655","article-title":"Post-stroke psychiatric and cognitive symptoms in West Asia, South Asia and Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"10","author":"Mahadevan","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1186\/s41983-018-0041-z","article-title":"Central post-stroke pain: predictors and relationship with magnetic resonance imaging and somatosensory evoked potentials","volume":"54","author":"Osama","year":"2018","journal-title":"Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2017\/9318597","article-title":"Central poststroke pain: its profile among stroke survivors in Kano, Nigeria","volume":"2017","author":"Bashir","year":"2017","journal-title":"Behav Neurol"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.4314\/mmj.v32i3.5","article-title":"The prevalence and management of central post-stroke pain at a hospital in Zimbabwe","volume":"32","author":"Mhangara","year":"2020","journal-title":"Malawi Med J"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"616","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dhjo.2016.05.011","article-title":"Post-stroke disability and its predictors among Nigerian stroke survivors","volume":"9","author":"Oyewole","year":"2016","journal-title":"Disabil Health J"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1186\/s43161-023-00149-4","article-title":"Exploring rehabilitation options and resources of support for stroke survivors in Eldoret, Kenya: qualitative study","volume":"28","author":"Kingau","year":"2023","journal-title":"Bull Fac Phys Ther"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"438","DOI":"10.4102\/ajod.v7i0.438","article-title":"The impact of stroke on people living in Central Uganda: a descriptive study","volume":"7","author":"Kamwesiga","year":"2018","journal-title":"Afr J Disabil"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"579","DOI":"10.1212\/WNL.0000000000007149","article-title":"Global & community health: a perspective on neurologic care at Mulago Hospital in Uganda","volume":"92","author":"Diaz","year":"2019","journal-title":"Neurology"},{"key":"ref15","author":"El Ha\u00efti","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1007\/s44337-025-00279-9","article-title":"Complementary therapies for stroke towards neurorecovery","volume":"2","author":"Barik","year":"2025","journal-title":"Discov Med"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1041263","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2022.1041263","article-title":"Prevalence, risk factor and outcome in middle-aged and elderly population affected by hemiplegic shoulder pain: an observational study","volume":"13","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Neurol"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4962","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17144962","article-title":"Incidence, prevalence, and risk factors of hemiplegic shoulder pain: a systematic review","volume":"17","author":"Anwer","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.2217\/pmt-2018-0075","article-title":"Hemiplegic shoulder pain in people with stroke: present and the future","volume":"9","author":"Kumar","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pain Manag"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1576890","DOI":"10.3389\/fresc.2025.1576890","article-title":"The clinical utility of musculoskeletal ultrasonography in hemiplegic shoulder rehabilitation poststroke","volume":"6","author":"Liu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Rehabil Sci"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.17159\/2310-3833\/2021\/vol51no3a7","article-title":"Occupational therapy intervention for hemiplegic shoulder pain in adults' post-stroke: a Zimbabwean perspective","volume":"51","author":"Khuabi","year":"2021","journal-title":"S Afr J Occup Ther"},{"key":"ref22","volume-title":"StatPearls","author":"Harb","year":"2026"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2906","DOI":"10.1002\/brb3.2906","article-title":"Prevalence and clinical predictors of spasticity after intracerebral hemorrhage","volume":"13","author":"Liao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Brain Behav"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1111\/head.70008","article-title":"Headache after hemorrhagic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"66","author":"Ong","year":"2026","journal-title":"Headache"},{"key":"ref25","author":"Saikaley","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e905","DOI":"10.6061\/clinics\/2019\/e905","article-title":"The myofascial component of the pain in the painful shoulder of the hemiplegic patient","volume":"74","author":"Liporaci","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clinics (Sao Paulo)"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e63986","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0063986","article-title":"Symptomatology of peripheral neuropathy in an African language","volume":"8","author":"Shaikh","year":"2013","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"957","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2015.03.010","article-title":"Neuropathic pain screening questionnaires have limited measurement properties: a systematic review","volume":"68","author":"Mathieson","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Clin Epidemiol"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jns.2016.10.005","article-title":"Botulinum toxin as early intervention for spasticity after stroke or non-progressive brain lesion: a meta-analysis","volume":"371","author":"Rosales","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Neurol Sci"},{"key":"ref30","author":"Boettger","year":"2026"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1186\/s41043-025-01004-z","article-title":"A scoping review of stroke rehabilitation in Africa: interventions, barriers, and research gaps","volume":"44","author":"Aderinto","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Health Popul Nutr"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.38140\/aa.v38i1.1079","article-title":"The incorporation of African traditional health practitioners into the South African health care system","volume":"38","author":"Summerton","year":"2006","journal-title":"Acta Acad"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117540","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jns.2021.117540","article-title":"Quantitative and qualitative analyses of herbal medication use among Ghanaian stroke survivors","volume":"427","author":"Sarfo","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Neurol Sci"},{"key":"ref34","volume-title":"Herbal Medicine","author":"Ezekwesili-Ofili","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"947289","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2022.947289","article-title":"The structure, processes, and outcomes of stroke rehabilitation in Ghana: a study protocol","volume":"13","author":"Yarfi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Neurol"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1611194","DOI":"10.3389\/fstro.2025.1611194","article-title":"Enhancing Africa's stroke workforce to address the stroke burden: a proposal from the African's stroke organization's educational and training committee","volume":"4","author":"Bolaji","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Stroke"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"218","DOI":"10.1186\/s12982-025-00622-6","article-title":"Disparities in post-stroke rehabilitation: an African perspective","volume":"22","author":"Aderinto","year":"2025","journal-title":"Discov Public Health"},{"key":"ref38","first-page":"3","volume-title":"Collaborative Capacity Development to Complement Stroke Rehabilitation in Africa","author":"Tawa","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.15171\/jcs.2018.010","article-title":"Musculoskeletal symptoms among family caregivers of community-dwelling stroke survivors in Nigeria","volume":"7","author":"Vincent-Onabajo","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Caring Sci"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"900308","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2022.900308","article-title":"Prevalence of chronic non-specific low back pain among caregivers of stroke survivors in Kano, Nigeria and factors associated with it: a cross-sectional study","volume":"13","author":"Abdullahi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Neurol"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e123216","DOI":"10.5812\/modernc-123216","article-title":"Musculoskeletal pain and associated factors among informal caregivers of stroke survivors in northwestern Nigeria","volume":"19","author":"Abba","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mod Care J"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Neurology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fneur.2026.1946268\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T09:44:55Z","timestamp":1790070295000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fneur.2026.1946268\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"references-count":41,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fneur.2026.1946268"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fneur.2026.1946268","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-2295"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-2295","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"article-number":"1946268"}}