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.
If left untreated, cystitis can progress into a kidney infection (pyelonephritis). The bacteria causing the infection can travel from the bladder up into one or both kidneys, causing a kidney infection.
End-Stage IC
End-stage interstitial cystitis is defined as a hard bladder that triggers intense pain and possesses very low bladder capacity. Many cases of end-stage interstitial cystitis involve Hunner's ulcers. Also known as “end-stage IC”, only about 5% of IC patients develop this severe condition.
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.
Interstitial Cystitis Facts
It does not spread in the body and does not seem to worsen with time. It is not a cause of bladder cancer.
Some people who have IC find relief after a treatment in which a doctor puts a small amount of liquid medicine into the bladder, called bladder instillation or a bladder wash or bath. The doctor guides a tube called a catheter into your bladder and slowly adds a liquid that eases irritation of the bladder wall.
If you have interstitial cystitis, the signals from the bladder are painful and may occur even when the bladder is not full. The condition most often occurs between ages 20 to 40, although it has been reported in younger people. Women are 10 times more likely to have IC than men.
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.
Living with IC can be difficult. Because there is no cure for IC, eating well and managing health is an important way to fend off flare-ups. Planning ahead for travel and other activities can make daily life easier as well. The Interstitial Cystitis Foundation has some tips for eating, exercise and travel.
As your bladder starts to fill, you may feel pain—rather than just discomfort—that gets worse until you urinate. The pain usually improves for a while once you empty your bladder. People with IC rarely have constant bladder pain. The pain may go away for weeks or months and then return.
Ural Daily Supplement High Strength Cranberry 60,000 mg capsules support urinary tract health. This concentrated cranberry extract supplement helps reduce the occurrence of medically diagnosed cystitis, assists in the flushing of the urinary tract and the maintenance of urinary tract health.
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.
For about half the cases, interstitial cystitis goes away by itself. Among those who need treatment, most find relief and get their lives back to normal.
There is no best way to diagnose IC. A variety of tests may be needed. These include urine tests, imaging tests, and biopsy.
[20] The majority of these are due to human factors and patient status, which in the healthiest group has an estimated mortality of 0.4 per 100,000 patients.
Whether you know Charlotte McKinney from Baywatch, Dancing With The Stars, or one of her many ad campaigns, what you probably don't know is that she suffers from a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis.
Comedian Ashley Corby has long dealt with a bladder pain syndrome known as interstitial cystitis, or IC.
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.
Drink as much water as possible. Water is the best thing for your body, especially for those of us with IC. The spasms and other symptoms will eventually calm down after you flush your bladder. Drink chamomile or peppermint hot teas.
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.
Symptoms of BPS (interstitial cystitis)
sudden strong urges to pee. needing to pee more often than usual. pain in your lower tummy when your bladder is filling up, which is relieved when you pee. waking up several times during the night to pee.
Most Bothersome Foods. There are certain items that are more likely to trigger IC/BPS flares: Coffee (caffeinated and decaffeinated), tea (caffeinated and decaffeinated), soda, alcohol, citrus juices, and cranberry juice. Foods and beverages containing artificial sweeteners.
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.