Bladder pain - what symptoms indicate a diseased bladder?

Pain in the bladder area is an unpleasant symptom that may indicate dangerous urological diseases.

Due to the peculiarities of anatomy, men encounter this problem less often than the fair sex. However, if even slight pain appears in the bladder area in men, you should make an appointment with a urologist.

You can receive qualified medical care in St. Petersburg by contacting the Diana multidisciplinary clinic.

Bladder pain in men: associated symptoms

The content of the article

Feeling pain in the lower abdomen, patients often cannot independently determine which organ is hurting. If the pain is localized specifically in the bladder, men experience a number of associated symptoms:

• localization of pain between the scrotum and anus (in the perineum);
• frequent or constant urge to urinate (sometimes false);
• pain, itching, burning during urination;
• night sleep disturbances;
• discomfort during sexual intercourse;
• impurities of blood and pus in the urine.

Inflammatory diseases of the bladder may be accompanied by increased body temperature, general weakness, and fever.

Sleep disturbance

Itching in the groin

Urge to urinate

Causes of bladder pain in men

Various diseases can cause discomfort in this area. Most often, this symptom is associated with urological pathologies.

Urologists name many reasons for bladder pain in men.

Inflammatory diseases

Cystitis is an inflammation of organ tissue, which can occur in acute or chronic form. In men, this pathology is more often caused by activation of the opportunistic flora of the body. Possible pathogens include Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, and Enterobacteriaceae. The inflammatory process develops against the background of the following factors:

• weakened immunity;
• taking immunosuppressants;
• long-term treatment with antibiotics;
• chemotherapy;
• irradiation of the body;
• malnutrition (emaciation);
• frequent change of sexual partners (infection with STIs);
• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
• recent urological manipulations (catheterization), etc.

Change of sexual partners

Taking medications

Pain from cystitis is localized in the lower abdomen, but often also affects the rectum and lumbar region. Sometimes the patient's body temperature rises sharply. Blood or pus may appear in the urine. Interstitial cystitis or Hunner's ulcer causes particularly severe pain. With this pathology, fibrosis of all layers of the organ wall develops against the background of the inflammatory process. The reasons for the development of this pathology have not been fully studied, but the leading role is given to autoimmune processes.

Treatment of cystitis includes taking antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and sometimes painkillers. For the entire period of treatment of the disease, it is recommended to abstain from sexual activity and follow a diet.

Congenital and acquired anomalies of the bladder

In some cases, pain and discomfort are associated with changes in the anatomical structure of the organ. With such pathologies, mild pelvic pain can be permanent. Congenital and acquired anomalies disrupt urination processes, increase the risk of infection, and provoke congestion and inflammatory processes.

Possible abnormalities that cause aching pain in the bladder in men include:

• Diverticula.
  This is a hernial protrusion of the mucous membrane of an organ. Pain occurs as a result of changes in muscle tone of the walls, the addition of infectious processes, and the development of vesicoureteral reflux. In most cases, surgical treatment is required.
• Exstrophy.
  This is a fusion of the walls of the bladder with the anterior abdominal wall. The anomaly disrupts the functions of the organ, which leads to pain and discomfort. To eliminate symptoms, surgery is performed to restore the normal structure of the urinary system.
• Megacystis syndrome.
  With this pathology, the organ is enlarged and has abnormally thin walls. Patients experience pain associated with frequent infectious and inflammatory processes and stagnation of urine. To eliminate symptoms, ureteral reimplantation, antibiotic therapy, and catheterization are performed.
• Neurogenic bladder.
  This is a dysfunction of an organ due to neurological disorders or diseases of the central nervous system. Soreness occurs as a result of recurrent urinary tract infections, spasmodic activity of the walls, or urinary retention.

Most anomalies in this group require surgical intervention to eliminate unpleasant symptoms.

Why do kidney and ureter diseases occur?

The main factors that provoke the development of kidney and ureter diseases include:

• hypothermia of the body (especially in the lumbar region);
• untreated sexually transmitted infections,
• endocrine disorders;
• decompensated diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• ignoring intimate hygiene;
• low immunity;
• chronic fatigue, frequent stress;
• structural anomalies of the urinary system organs;
• mechanical injuries to the kidneys and bladder;
• previous chemotherapy;
• genetic predisposition;
• poor nutrition.

Tumors

Bladder tumors may not produce any symptoms for a long time. Pain is usually caused by fairly large tumors. At the same time, the danger of bladder tumors is that even a benign tumor can lead to serious complications in the form of urinary retention.

All organ tumors can be divided into the following groups:

• Exophytic papillomas.
  These are small tumors that attach to the mucous membrane with a thin stalk. The tumor is considered benign, but in 3-5% of cases it transforms into papillary transitional cell carcinoma.
• Inverted papilloma.
  This is a benign nodular neoplasm that does not pose a threat to the patient’s life.
• Transitional cell carcinoma.
  A neoplasm that is life-threatening to the patient and affects an organ. As the tumor grows, cancer cells can spread beyond the bladder, affecting other organs and tissues.

Tumors are most often recommended to be removed due to the risk of blockage of ducts and urinary retention.

Surgical intervention

Prevention of kidney and urinary tract diseases

A healthy lifestyle, adequate drinking regimen, and control of chronic diseases reduces the risk of developing diseases of the genitourinary organs. Periodic visits to the doctor and basic examinations increase the chances of protecting yourself from health problems, including pathologies of the kidneys and ureters.

Basic preventive measures:

1. Avoid hypothermia, especially in the lumbar region.
2. Eat properly and balanced.
3. Quit smoking and minimize alcohol intake.
4. Follow the rules of intimate hygiene.
5. Treat inflammatory and infectious processes in a timely manner.
6. Systematic examinations by specialized specialists.

Diagnosis of pain in the bladder area in men

If a patient presents with pain, the urologist needs to make an accurate diagnosis. For this purpose, the following list of studies is prescribed:

• Interview and examination of the patient
  . The urologist must carefully examine the patient’s medical history, clarify symptoms and complaints. It is also necessary to examine the external genitalia.
• Keeping a urine diary.
  For 2-5 days, the patient should write down everything about his urination. The diary indicates the time, volume of urine and sensations during the act of bowel movement (pain, burning, stinging). The patient should also record data on all liquids drunk per day.
• Analysis of urine.
  A general urine test is carried out to identify the inflammatory process and a general assessment of the functioning of the urinary system. It is also necessary to carry out bacteriological culture of urine on a nutrient medium. This allows you to determine the growth of colonies of pathogenic microorganisms and create an antibiogram.
• Test with potassium solution .
  During this study, clean water is injected into the bladder cavity through a catheter, and after some time a potassium solution is injected. Next, the patient must fill out a special test protocol. It gives a subjective assessment of pain from 1 to 5 points. A healthy person does not experience pain when both fluids are administered. If the potassium solution causes severe pain, the patient is diagnosed with interstitial cystitis.
• Cystoscopy.
  This is an informative endoscopic examination of the bladder, which is carried out with a special device - a cystoscope. This endoscope looks like a thin tube that is inserted into the body through the urethra. Since the urethral canal in men is very thin and long, the procedure must be performed under anesthesia. During cystoscopy, the urologist can examine the inside of the bladder in a greatly enlarged format. The study reveals most of the possible pathologies of the organ.
• Biopsy.
  This is the collection of a small area of ​​tissue for microscopic analysis. Tissue is taken for biopsy during cystoscopy. This study allows you to confirm or exclude cancer.

Only after making an accurate diagnosis can treatment begin.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic measures are carried out by a urologist. The specialist interviews the patient to establish the circumstances and moment of the onset of pain and pain, the presence and nature of other symptoms, and changes in the clinical picture over time. In case of emergency pathologies (ACH, paracystitis, trauma), an external examination of patients with an assessment of the general condition and identification of characteristic symptoms is of great importance.

In other cases, useful data can be obtained by examination and palpation of the abdomen, but they are usually nonspecific. To determine the etiology of pain, the following diagnostic procedures are prescribed:

• Gynecological examination.
  It is performed to exclude pathologies of the female genital organs that are accompanied by similar symptoms. During the examination, the condition of the external opening of the urethra is assessed, attention is paid to the presence of pathological discharge, signs of inflammation of the vulva and vagina.
• Ultrasonography.
  Ultrasound of the bladder is informative for cystitis, paracystitis, cystolithiasis, tumors and urachal cysts. Allows you to detect residual urine or determine the cause of AUR. For men with cystitis and prostatocystitis, an ultrasound scan of the prostate is recommended to assess the condition of the prostate gland and detect possible bladder outlet obstruction.
• Cystoscopy.
  Indicated for establishing the form of chronic cystitis (performed outside of exacerbation), diagnosing paracystitis, and clarifying the location, size and prevalence of tumors. In case of ICD and AUR, it has a therapeutic and diagnostic character, makes it possible to detect stones and eliminate mechanical obstacles to the flow of urine. During the procedure, if necessary, a biopsy sample is taken.
• X-ray methods.
  During cystography, in case of paracystitis, compression and deformation of the bladder is visualized; in case of cystolithiasis, X-ray positive stones are visible; in case of tumors, a filling defect is detected; in case of cysts, the presence of communication between the formation and the detrusor is determined. In patients with complicated urachal cysts, fistulography may be performed to study the fistula canal.
• Tomographic techniques.
  CT and MRI of the bladder are used to assess the extent and depth of malignant neoplasia and detect small tumors that are not visible on ultrasound. During a layer-by-layer study of the organ, it is possible to clarify the severity of damage and the volume of urohematomas in injuries.
• Lab tests.
  The main diagnostic value is urine tests. The CBC may reveal hematuria, leukocyturia, bacteriuria, pyuria, and proteinuria. By microbiological examination, the causative agent of the infection is identified and antibiotic sensitivity is determined. Histological or cytological analysis of a biopsy allows one to differentiate different types of tumors and determine the form of cystitis.

Appointment with a urologist

Treatment

If a man has pain in the bladder area, the treatment strategy depends on the cause of the pain. The age and general condition of the patient also matters. Most often in urology, the following methods of treating pathologies are used:

• Drug therapy.
  Doctors prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and painkillers. Some pathologies require antihistamine therapy.
• Physiotherapy.
  Electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles and neurostimulation are especially effective. Physiotherapeutic procedures increase blood circulation in the organ, strengthen muscles, and relieve pain.
• Hydrodistension (hydrobugation).
  If the pain is associated with loss of elasticity of the walls, they are stretched by filling the organ cavity with water. The procedure is performed under anesthesia.
• Instillation.
  This is a treatment method in which drug solutions are injected directly into the bladder through the urethra.
• Surgical intervention.
  If partial excision of tissue or complete removal of an organ is necessary, surgery is performed. In addition to standard surgical instruments, electrocoagulation or laser coagulation can be used to remove affected areas.

A timely visit to a medical urologist will allow you to get rid of the pain syndrome while maintaining all the functions of the organ.

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