Causes of bladder pain in palliative care

In patients with palliative care needs, bladder pain may be caused by:

• urinary tract infection
• urinary retention
• smooth muscle spasm
• indwelling urinary catheter
• clot retention—see Haematuria in palliative care
• interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome.

For patients with cancer, bladder pain may be caused by malignant infiltration of the bladder or rectum, radiation cystitis, or chemotherapy (particularly from cyclophosphamide)—see Management of bladder pain associated with cancer and cancer treatment in palliative care.