Urogynaecology
Bladder pain syndrome
Bladder pain syndrome is one of the conditions that cause people to have bladder pain and urinate often. Bladder pain syndrome is often called "BPS" for short. It is also sometimes called "painful bladder syndrome" or "interstitial cystitis."
BPS can happen in men or women, but it is more common in women. We do not know what causes BPS, but suspect that this is due to abnormal changes in the lining of the bladder.
Symptoms
All people with BPS have bladder pain that gets better after urinating. Other common symptoms include:
Feeling like you need to urinate often during the day and night (even if you don't actually urinate)
Urinating often during the day and night
Having pain in the lower belly or around the area where urine leaves the body
Symptoms of BPS are different from person to person and can be mild or severe. People might not have symptoms every day. But they can have "flares," which are times when their symptoms get worse. Some people find that their symptoms get worse at certain times, such as:
After they have certain foods or drinks
During certain times of their monthly cycle (in women)
After having sex
After sitting for a long time
During times of stress
Tests
There is no one test to check for BPS. Most often the diagnosis is made based on your symptoms, clinical examination by a doctor including tests. The tests include urine tests and possibly a camera test into the bladder called cystoscopy.
Treatment
There are different treatments for BPS. Most people need more than one treatment. Different treatments can include:
Avoid the foods and drinks that make your symptoms worse.
Avoid activities that make your symptoms worse.
Get treated quickly for bladder infections, which can make BPS symptoms worse.
If you have long-term pain (Chronic pain) it may be beneficial to work with a pain specialist, mental health expert as well as join support groups to help cope with your symptoms. Dr Gopinath can make the necessary referrals if this is necessary.