Bladder pain: causes, diagnosis and treatment

Bladder pain is felt in the lower part of the tummy. In people with bladder pain, the pain tends to ease once they have passed urine, but then it returns again as the bladder fills up. This is associated with having to run back and forth to the toilet to pass urine, which can be highly debilitating.

Common causes of sudden, acute bladder pain

Sudden acute (short-lasting) bladder pain is quite unusual. If it does occur, it could be caused by

1. A urinary tract infection (UTI)
2. Bladder stones
3. Damage to the bladder from trauma (rare)
4. A blood clot in the bladder caused by bleeding in the bladder or the kidneys (rare)

Common causes of long-term bladder pain

The common causes of long-term bladder pain include

1. Urinary tract infection (UTI)
2. Painful bladder syndrome
3. Interstitial cystitis
4. Bladder stones
5. Bladder cancer

When to see a doctor

You should always see a doctor if you experience pain in the lower part of your tummy that does not settle with simple painkillers and gets worse.

How we diagnose the cause of bladder pain

The cause of any bladder pain will be diagnosed by a combination of your doctor taking a history and performing an examination in addition to some tests. These tests might include:

• A urine dipstick test
• A camera inspection of the bladder ( cystoscopy )
• An ultrasound scan of the pelvis

Treatments for bladder pain

Several treatment options are available for patients with painful bladder syndrome.

1. Initially, we advise patients to avoid things that could irritate the bladder e.g. spicy foods, caffeine and fizzy drinks.
2. You might be offered pain relief, including simple options such as paracetamol anti-inflammatory medication, or other pain relief options in the form of medications that work on nerve endings (such as amitriptyline).
3. Bladder installations using chemicals to coat the bladder lining are also an option.
4. Stretching the bladder under anaesthetic (bladder hydrodistention) can be helpful in some patients; however, the effect is typically short-lived.
5. There are other more invasive treatment options for patients with symptoms that don’t respond to the previous methods. Your specialist will help you decide which the best option for you is.

Dr Nadir Osman is an award-winning and internationally trained consultant urologist. Learn how his expertise can help you – visit his profile.