NIH Symptom Index Calculator

Header Cap

Pain or discomfort
1. In the last week, have you experienced any pain or discomfort in the following areas? Yes No
Area between rectum and testicles (perineum) 1 0
Testicles 1 0
Tip of the penis (not related to urination) 1 0
Below your waist, in your pubic or bladder area 1 0
2. In the last week, have you experienced: Yes No
Pain or burning during urination? 1 0
Pain or discomfort during or after sexual climax (ejaculation)? 1 0
3. How often have you had pain or discomfort in any of these areas over the last week?
Never 0
Rarely 1
Sometimes 2
Often 3
Usually 4
Always 5
4. Which number best describes your AVERAGE pain or discomfort on the days that you had it over the last week?
None Severe

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Urination
5. How often have you had a sensation of not emptying your bladder completely after you finished urinating during the last week?
Not at all 0
Less than 1 time in 5 1
Less than half time 2
About half time 3
More than half time 4
Almost always 5
6. How often have you had to urinate again less than 2 hours after you finished urinating, over the last week?
Not at all 0
Less than 1 time in 5 1
Less than half time 2
About half time 3
More than half time 4
Almost always 5

Impact of symptoms
7. How much have your symptoms kept you from doing the kinds of things you would usually do, over the last week?
None 0
Only a little 1
Some 2
A lot 3
8. How much did you think about your symptoms during the last week?
None 0
Only a little 1
Some 2
A lot 3

Quality of life
9. If you were to spend the rest of your life with your symptoms just the way they have been during the last week, how would you feel about that ?
Delighted 0
Pleased 1
Mostly satisfied 2
Mixed (about equally satisfied and dissatisfied) 3
Mostly dissatisfied 4
Unhappy 5
Terrible 6

Scoring the Symptom Index Domains
Pain
Total of items 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b, 3, and 4
Urinary symptoms
Total of items 5 and 6
Quality of life impact
Total of items 7, 8, and 9
Pain and urinary score
Total of item 1 to 6

Total Score

0

Instructions

(1) Calculate and report 3 separate scores (pain, urinary symptoms, and quality of life)

(2) Calculate and report a pain and urinary score (range 0-31), referred to as the "symptom scale score."

  • Mild =0-9
  • Moderate=10-18
  • Severe=19-31

(3) Calculate and report total score (range 0-43), referred to as the "total score." Assess patients at baseline and follow them over time using each patient as his own control. Can also use to compare to "norms" established and published.

Source

Originally published by The Prostatitis Foundation.

Modified with permission from Litwin MS, McNaughton-Collins M ' Fowler FJ, et al. The NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom index (NIH-CPSI). Development and validation of a new outcomes measure. J Urol. In press.

Developed by the NIDDK-funded Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network

Read an abstract about the NIH Symptom Index

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