[Symptomatic approach to chronic urethral pain]

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical features, pathogenesis and differential diagnosis of urethral pain syndrome.

Material and methods: A review of the literature was performed by searching the Medline database (National Library of Medicine). Search terms were either medical subject heading (MeSH) keywords (urethra, pain) or terms derived from the title or abstract. Search terms were used alone or in combinations by using the "AND" operator. The literature search was conducted from 1990 to the present time.

Results: Urethral pain syndrome is defined as recurrent urethral pain usually occurring during micturition, but sometimes unrelated to micturition, accompanied by daytime frequency and nocturia, in the absence of documented infection or another clinically apparent disease. The cause of this syndrome is unclear, but it could correspond to an early form of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. Urethral pain syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion and, in a patient presenting with urethral pain and voiding disorders, various more common and more clearly defined organ or tissue diseases must be excluded by a urological and gynecological work-up (especially genital tract and urinary tract infection, urethral stricture, bladder tumor, urethral tumor, hyperactive bladder, low urinary tract or distal ureteric stones).

Conclusion: The cause of urethral pain syndrome is unclear. This syndrome remains a diagnosis of exclusion in patients with urethral pain and voiding disorders.