[Physical and psychological comorbidities of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome]

Compared with the healthy population, patients diagnosed with IC/BPS have a higher risk of developing further pain syndromes. Common comorbidities include endometriosis, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, migraine, anxiety, multiple chemical sensitivity and autoimmune diseases. Chronic pain may lead to depression, which often results in social isolation. Chronic pain can only be explained and treated successfully if a person is seen as a biopsychosocial entity. Interrelations between a person and their environment are of central importance for the maintenance of health and the development of disease. The fact that the pain is located in the urogenital area makes the situation even more delicate. In this location, we find the functions of excretion, reproduction und sexual desire - a constellation that predisposes to a high incidence of psychosomatic events. This means that urogenital pain not only involves an unpleasant sensory experience but also feelings of fear, guilt, shame and impotence.