Pelvic Pain and Urinary Urgency Frequency (PUF) Patient Symptom Scale

The Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) patient symptom scale is a diagnostic tool used to screen patients with chronic pelvic pain. Developed by C. Lowell Parsons, MD, the PUF self-report questionnaire uses a symptom score (which measures how often a patient experiences problems) as well as a bother score (which notes the degree to which the symptoms bother the patient); the bother and symptom score combine for a total PUF score. The scale takes about 5 minutes to complete. Scores range between 0 and 35, and studies have indicated that a score greater than 12 is indicative of significant symptoms.