Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Nao Saito, MD (Urology)
After graduating from Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Dr. Saito worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Toda Chuo General Hospital, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, and Ako Chuo Hospital before becoming Deputy Director (current position) at Takasaki Tower Clinic Department of Ophthalmology and Urology in April 2020.
Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Burning sensation in the bladder
Itching in the bladder
Pain improves with urine
Discomfort in the bladder
The bladder hurts
Bladder spasm with pain
With a free 3-min Bladder Pain quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
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Bladder pain usually occurs when the bladder empties during urination as the muscles tighten to squeeze urine out. It my also present with lower abdominal pain, discomfort and burning. As the bladder fills up, the pain may become more severe. Emptying your bladder may temporarily relieve the pain.
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Generally, Bladder pain can be related to:
Pollakiuria is frequent daytime urination (up to 40 times a day) in children. It's most common in children 3 to 5 years old, but teenagers can develop it too. The exact cause is unknown but could be due to stress and other psychogenic triggers like moving, being bullied, or parents divorcing.
A type of urinary tract infection that involves only bacterial infection of the bladder.
Inflammation of the bladder's muscle layers. The exact cause is unclear so other treatable possible causes like infection need to be ruled out. Since the condition can last for a long time, coping strategies are important.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
Akiyama Y, Hanno P. Phenotyping of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. Int J Urol. 2019 Jun;26 Suppl 1:17-19. doi: 10.1111/iju.13969. PMID: 31144756.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/iju.13969Homma Y. Interstitial cystitis, bladder pain syndrome, hypersensitive bladder, and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome - clarification of definitions and relationships. Int J Urol. 2019 Jun;26 Suppl 1:20-24. doi: 10.1111/iju.13970. PMID: 31144731.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/iju.13970Bjorling DE. Measuring bladder pain. J Urol. 2008 Mar;179(3):815-6. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2007.12.004. Epub 2008 Jan 25. PMID: 18221966.
https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1016/j.juro.2007.12.004Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Nao Saito, MD (Urology)
After graduating from Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Dr. Saito worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Toda Chuo General Hospital, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, and Ako Chuo Hospital before becoming Deputy Director (current position) at Takasaki Tower Clinic Department of Ophthalmology and Urology in April 2020.
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