Bladder sensation testing: Where are we?

The pathogenesis of several diseases of the bladder is believed to lie in autonomic and sensory neuropathy, specifically in increased or altered afferent autonomic sensitivity. Nevertheless, no single standardized method has been devised to measure bladder sensation in these conditions. Here we first outline the physiology of the bladder, and then describe the four principal instruments and procedures that are currently used to measure bladder sensation. We conclude by assessing the clinical applicability of current perception threshold testing.