ABSTRACT
Chronic nonmalignant pain syndromes (longer than six months duration) of the urogenital area in men and women are well described, but poorly understood. The urogenital area is often considered taboo in our society, andmanypatients are embarrassed to suffer from a chronic pain syndrome in this area of the body. In many cases, the etiology of chronic urogenital pain remains unknown. Rarely are these pain syndromes the manifestation of a psychiatric disease. Currently, many available treatment options are empirical only. The purpose of this chapter is to (i) highlight the current status of the classification of these pain syndromes, which is often confusing; (ii) discuss the challenges of revising existing classifications and introducing new ones; and (iii) point out the opportunities presented by classifications, as they are important for patient care and research. At the end of the chapter is a glossary of terms used in this book.
