Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bladder Pain Syndrome: Clinical Presentation

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Bladder Pain Syndrome

  • 1249 Accesses

Abstract

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS) encompasses a heterogeneous spectrum of poorly defined chronic disorders that present with symptoms of pain related to the urinary bladder. There is considerable variation in accepted nomenclature with the condition also being referred to as—Hypersensitive bladder syndrome, Painful bladder syndrome, Interstitial cystitis and Painful bladder syndrome/Interstitial cystitis.

The diagnosis of BPS is often difficult due to the insidious onset of the condition and the inability to distinguish it from other diseases. A careful history with close attention to the terminology used by patients may allow the clinician to differentiate between BPS and other confusable diseases.

Urgency/frequency may be the presenting symptoms with pain becoming the dominant feature as the disease progresses. Characteristically, urgency associated with BPS is associated with the need to urinate driven by pain or to avoid getting pain worse, constant need to urinate and sudden need to urinate. The pain is not limited to the suprapubic region but can be referred to locations throughout the pelvis.

The natural history of the disease is characterised by remissions and exacerbations, with some patients experiencing daily pain. It can be associated with other local, regional or systemic conditions, which suggests that the disease progresses from an organ centric to a systemic disease. The disease can have a significant impact on the physical and mental quality of life, particularly in patients who adopt maladaptive coping strategies such as catastrophising. It is essential to screen all patients for sexual abuse, who may present with more pain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Fall M, Baranowski AP, Elneil S, et al. EAU guidelines on chronic pelvic pain. Eur Urol. 2010;57(1):35–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Abrams P, Cardozo L, Fall M, et al. The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the standardisation sub-committee of the international continence society. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002;187(1):116–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. van de Merwe JP, Nordling J, Bouchelouche P, et al. Diagnostic criteria, classification, and nomenclature for painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis: an ESSIC proposal. Eur Urol. 2007;53(1):60–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Homma Y, Ueda T, Ito T, Takei M, Tomoe H. Japanese guideline for diagnosis and treatment of interstitial cystitis. Int J Urol. 2009;16(1):4–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. International Painful Bladder Foundation. IPBF e-newsletter, Issue 2, June 2010. http://www.painful-bladder.org/Newsletters.html. Accessed 14 Jan 2010.

  6. Driscoll A, Teichman J. How do patients with interstitial cystitis present? J Urol. 2001;166(6):2118–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Peeker R, Fall M. Toward a precise definition of interstitial cystitis: further evidence of differences in classic and nonulcer disease. J Urol. 2002;167(6):2470–2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Parsons CL. Interstitial cystitis: epidemiology and clinical presentation. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2002;45(1):242–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Moutzouris D-A, Falagas ME. Interstitial cystitis: an unsolved enigma. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2009;4(11):1844–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Abraham L, Arbuckle R, Bonner N, et al. How do patients describe their symptoms of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS)? Qualitative interviews with patients to support the development of a patient-reported symptom-based screener for IC/PBS. Value Health. 2009;12:A310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Clemens JQ, Bogart LM, Liu K, Pham C, Suttorp M, Berry SH. Perceptions of “urgency” in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome or overactive bladder. Neurourol Urodyn. 2011;30(3):402–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Koziol J, Clark D, Gittes R, Tan E. The natural history of interstitial cystitis: a survey of 374 patients. J Urol. 1993;149(3):465–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rosenberg M, Parsons CL, Page S. Interstitial cystitis: a primary care perspective. Cleve Clin J Med. 2005;72(8):698–704.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Tincello D, Walker A. Interstitial cystitis in the UK: results of a questionnaire survey of members of the Interstitial Cystitis Support Group. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2005;118(1):5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Warren JW, Greenberg P, Diggs C, Horne L, Langenberg P. A prospective early history of incident interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. J Urol. 2010;184(6):2333–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Nickel JC, Dean AT, Michel P, et al. Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and associated medical conditions with an emphasis on irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. J Urol. 2010;184(4):1358–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Peeker R, Atanasiu L, Logadottir Y. Intercurrent autoimmune conditions in classic and non-ulcer interstitial cystitis. Scand J Urol Nephrol. 2003;37(1):60–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Labat JJ, Riant T, Delavierre D, Sibert L, Watier A, Rigaud J. Global approach to chronic pelvic and perineal pain: from the concept of organ pain to that of dysfunction of visceral pain regulation systems. Prog Urol. 2010;20(12):1027–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Rabin C, O’Leary A, Neighbors C, Whitmore K. Pain and depression experienced by women with interstitial cystitis. Women Health. 2000;31(4):67–81.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Clemens JQ, Brown SO, Calhoun EA. Mental health diagnoses in patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a case control study. J Urol. 2008;180(4):1378–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Nickel JC, Tripp DA, Pontari M, et al. Psychosocial phenotyping in women with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome: a case control study. J Urol. 2010;183(1):167–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Heyhoe J, Lawton R. Distress in patients with interstitial cystitis: do illness representations have a role to play? Psychol Health Med. 2009;14(6):726–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Rothrock NE, Lutgendorf SK, Kreder KJ. Coping strategies in patients with interstitial cystitis: relationships with quality of life and depression. J Urol. 2003;169(1):233–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Goldstein H, Safaeian P, Garrod K, Finamore P, Kellogg-Spadt S, Whitmore K. Depression, abuse and its relationship to interstitial cystitis. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2008;19(12):1683–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Seth A, Teichman J. Differences in the clinical presentation of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome in patients with or without sexual abuse history. J Urol. 2008;180(5):2029–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pain Management Unit, The James Cook University Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW, UK

    John Hughes M.B.B.S., F.R.C.A., F.F.P.M.R.C.A.

  2. Department of Pain Management, Salford Royal Hospital, Salford, UK

    Mahindra Chincholkar M.D., F.R.C.A., F.F.P.M.R.C.A.

Authors
  1. John Hughes M.B.B.S., F.R.C.A., F.F.P.M.R.C.A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mahindra Chincholkar M.D., F.R.C.A., F.F.P.M.R.C.A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahindra Chincholkar M.D., F.R.C.A., F.F.P.M.R.C.A. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Copenhagen, Department of Urology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, 2730, Denmark

    Jørgen Nordling

  2. University Hospital Antwerp, Department of Urology, and Antwerp University, Edegem, 2650, Belgium

    Jean Jacques Wyndaele

  3. and Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC,, Departments of Immunology, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, 3141 XW, Netherlands

    Joop P. van de Merwe

  4. Koege Hospital, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 4600, Denmark

    Pierre Bouchelouche

  5. Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Urogynecology S.Carlo-IDI, Catholic University, Rome, 00165, Italy

    Mauro Cervigni

  6. Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Urology, Sahlgrens Academy at University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, 41345, Sweden

    Magnus Fall

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hughes, J., Chincholkar, M. (2013). Bladder Pain Syndrome: Clinical Presentation. In: Nordling, J., Wyndaele, J., van de Merwe, J., Bouchelouche, P., Cervigni, M., Fall, M. (eds) Bladder Pain Syndrome. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6929-3_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6929-3_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-6928-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-6929-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation