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. When these cycles become more frequent and last longer they are likely to be referred to a specialist.
A persistent, urgent need to urinate. Frequent urination, often of small amounts, throughout the day and night (up to 60 times a day) Pain or discomfort while the bladder fills and relief after urinating. Pain during sex.
Although BPS (interstitial cystitis) can affect people of all ages, it's much more common in women than men, usually over the age of 30. The symptoms will often come and go over time. There may be times lasting days, weeks or months where your symptoms improve, followed by flare-ups when they're worse.
Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition, but your symptoms can go into remission. This means that they might go away for a period of time or they are milder. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms so that you can function at your best despite having IC.
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).
Lasting from hours to weeks, IC flares can be unpredictable, disruptive and difficult to manage for both newly diagnosed and veteran IC patients. Flares can be triggered in many different ways that irritate the bladder wall, tighten pelvic floor muscles and/or sensitize nerves.
Pain is often a later symptom but many patients may never develop it. 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.
Interstitial cystitis is a severely debilitating disease of the urinary bladder. Symptoms of interstitial cystitis include excessive urgency and frequency of urination, suprapubic pain, dyspareunia and chronic pelvic pain. Interstitial cystitis interferes with employment, social relationships and sexual activity.
Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.
Key points about interstitial cystitis
Symptoms of IC include changes in urination such as frequency and urgency; pressure, pain, and tenderness around the bladder, pelvis, and the area between the anus and vagina or anus and scrotum; and pain during sex.
Symptoms of IC may be different from person to person. For example, some people feel mild discomfort, pressure, or tenderness in the pelvic area. Other people may have intense pain in the bladder or struggle with urinary urgency, the sudden need to urinate, or frequency, the need to urinate more often.
Amitriptyline is the medication most commonly prescribed for interstitial cystitis. Elmiron is the only oral drug approved by the FDA specifically for interstitial cystitis. It improves the bladder lining, making it less leaky and therefore less inflamed and painful. The full effect may take three to six months.
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.
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.
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.
Complications of cystitis
If bacteria in your bladder reach your kidneys, you may get an infection called pyelonephritis. This can cause pain in your side and back and a high temperature (fever). You may feel sick (or be sick) too. Pyelonephritis can be treated with antibiotics.
One of the greatest challenges to diagnosing IC/BPS is the significant overlap in symptoms between IC/BPS and other conditions such as urinary tract infection, vulvodynia and endometriosis in women, and chronic prostatitis and chronic orchialgia in men.
Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a chronic bladder health issue. It is a feeling of pain and pressure in the bladder area. Along with this pain are lower urinary tract symptoms which have lasted for more than 6 weeks, without having an infection or other clear causes.
A urologist is a doctor specializing in bladder diseases. Some gynecologists and urogynecologists (women's health doctors) also treat people with IC/BPS. Look for a doctor who has experience taking care of people with IC/BPS.
If you have interstitial cystitis, you'll receive the message to pee much more frequently, sometimes up to 60 times in a day, and the process of holding and releasing urine becomes very painful. For women, the pain in the pelvic region can increase in severity during the menstrual cycle.
Doctors may use cystoscopy to look inside the urethra and bladder. Doctors use a cystoscope, a tubelike instrument, to look for bladder ulcers, cancer, swelling, redness, and signs of infection. A doctor may perform a cystoscopy to diagnose interstitial cystitis (IC).
Pain pills like aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen can help control mild bladder pain. Advil and Motrin are examples of ibuprofen. Tylenol is an example of acetaminophen. Talk with your doctor if you feel you need a stronger pain medicine.