Bladder pain syndrome

Abstract

Bladder pain syndrome is a deceptively intricate symptom complex that is diagnosed on the basis of chronic pelvic pain, pressure, or discomfort perceived to be related to the urinary bladder, accompanied by at least one other urinary symptom. It is a diagnosis of exclusion in a patient who has experienced the symptoms for at least 6 weeks in the absence of any confusable diseases that may give rise to the symptoms. Symptoms compatible with the diagnosis are now thought to affect up to 3% of the female population in the United States with a 5:1 female-to-male preponderance. Diagnosis and treatment can be challenging, and misdiagnosis as a psychological problem, overactive bladder, or chronic urinary infection has plagued patients with the problem.