Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

Chronic pain affects up to 20% of the general population and can cause serious side effects such as sleep disturbance and depression, while affecting work performance and the ability to socialize with family and friends. Patients with prostate and bladder pain often experience moderate to severe pain, but do not always have a good understanding of why the pain is occurring and how they can minimize their symptoms. The Prostatitis and Interstitial Cystitis Clinics at Kingston General Hospital are the only two clinics dedicated to the study and management of urologic pelvic pain conditions in Canada. Many of the over 1,000 patients we follow locally have expressed a strong interest in learning more about their medical problem. Our Café Scientifique will provide the perfect opportunity to disseminate that information. Using the informal approach of the Cafe, men and women with pelvic pain will be able to discuss their medical condition and learn more about treatments in a comfortable and informative setting. The Café will discuss the specific conditions of interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome which occurs primarily in women) and prostatitis (chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men), explore the concept and basic science behind the condition and describe what clinicians and researchers are doing to improve treatment for patients. At the end of the Café, we believe that patients and their significant others will have a good understanding of chronic pelvic pain and how to manage their symptoms. They will also know that they are not alone, and that ongoing research is unlocking some of the mysteries surrounding their medical problem, providing hope for better pain and symptom control.