Stress does not cause IC, but if you have IC, stress can cause a flare. Physical stress and mental stress can lead to flares. Remember, every flare will settle down and worrying about it only prolongs the discomfort. Understanding stress and how to minimize it is the best way to limit the intensity of your flares.
Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) has several well-known comorbid psychiatric manifestations, including insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
If you have interstitial cystitis, your symptoms may also vary over time, periodically flaring in response to common triggers, such as menstruation, sitting for a long time, stress, exercise and sexual activity.
Stress by itself doesn't cause UTIs, but it can make you more susceptible to infections and other illnesses by harming your immune system. Stress can also trigger or worsen urinary tract symptoms — even if you don't have a UTI. Your urinary system is vital to your overall health.
Feeding wet food only and increasing your cat's water intake can also help to dilute the urine and reduce irritation of the bladder wall. The best way to try and prevent recurrence of stress cystitis is to reduce stress and anxiety.
Antihistamines such as hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril) interfere with the mast cells' release of histamine, helping to relieve bladder inflammation and pain, urinary frequency, and nighttime voiding.
Magnesium - Magnesium has a variety of effects in the body. It can help relieve constipation, reduces inflammation, supports muscle health and can help reduce anxiety in some studies. Obviously all of these are potentially beneficial to patients with IC!
In the early phase of IC the symptom flares are intermittent in most patients. Over time symptoms increase and pain cycles may appear and last for 3-14 days.
Most patients need to continue treatment indefinitely or the symptoms return. Some patients have flare-ups of symptoms even while on treatment. In some patients the symptoms gradually improve and even disappear. Some patients do not respond to any IC/BPS therapy.
Dimethylsulfoxide — Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is a liquid medication that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). DMSO is put into the bladder through a temporary catheter and is held in place for approximately 20 minutes, if possible.
Brain white matter (axonal) abnormalities associated with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome in women suggest that neuropathological brain alterations exist in, and might contribute to, chronic pelvic pain syndromes.
Patients with interstitial cystitis had higher scores than controls for 2 reference symptoms, including other pelvic discomfort, backache, dizziness, chest pain, aches in joints, abdominal cramps, nausea, heart pounding and headache (p <0.01).
The clinical presentation of interstitial cystitis is similar to that of many other conditions commonly seen in female patients, including recurrent urinary tract infections, endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, vulvodynia, and overactive bladder.
What is the outlook for interstitial cystitis? IC is a chronic disease. Patients may find some comfort in the fact that it is not life-threatening and it does not lead to cancer. However, because the symptoms are always present, patients need to develop coping skills to deal with them.
Patients with IC often avoid Vitamin C as it tends to flare symptoms. More sensitive patients avoid multivitamins as it is difficult to find one without vitamin C. Those patients who have their IC more under control can tolerate some specially buffered Vitamin C and benefit from the IC Multi.
Risk factors
Gender: Women are more likely to have interstitial cystitis. Age: Most patients are older, with symptoms beginning as early as the 30s or 40s. Coloring: Those with red hair and fair skin are more likely to have it.
Signs You Should Get Help for Interstitial Cystitis
Pressure and tenderness in your bladder and pelvic area. Urgent need to urinate or frequent urination (often small amounts) Pain intensity that changes as your bladder fills or empties. Pain during sex.
There is limited evidence supporting the use of probiotics for IC symptoms. In fact, many with IC report that tempeh, soy beverages, and fermented milks - which contain natural probiotics - provoke IC symptoms. Other patients, however, have found that probiotic supplements help control their symptoms.
Though the most widely used antihistamine to treat IC/BPS is hydroxyzine, some people with IC/BPS find relieve from Claritin, Benadryl, and Singulair.
Being active and getting yourself up and moving is important when you have interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). Regular exercise helps maintain your heart, lungs, muscles, bones, joints, bowel, and brain function.
Foods to eat
Fruits: bananas, apricots, blueberries, dates, melons, prunes, pears, raisins. Vegetables: avocados, asparagus, broccoli, beets, eggplant, peas, mushrooms, spinach. Grains: oats, rice. Proteins: beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, eggs.