What You Need to Know. Interstitial cystitis is a chronic pain condition. Diagnosis and treatment can be difficult, as the exact cause is unknown. No specific test exists to diagnose interstitial cystitis; it is often diagnosed after other conditions have been ruled out.
Cystoscopy. 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).
Background: Interstitial cystitis (IC) does not start as an endstage disease, it has a beginning when symptoms are milder, intermittent and the disease is misdiagnosed.
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.
People with interstitial cystitis (IC) have repeat discomfort, pressure, tenderness or pain in the bladder, lower abdomen, and pelvic area. Symptoms vary from person to person, may be mild or severe, and can even change in each person as time goes on.
No known radiographic, ultrasonographic, or other imaging findings are specific for interstitial cystitis. Unless indicated to help exclude alternative diagnoses, radiographic studies have only a limited role in the evaluation of interstitial cystitis.
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.
Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is thought to affect anywhere from 3 to 8 million women and 1 to 4 million men in the U.S. Emotional suffering, including anxiety, panic, depression and suicidality, is common in IC/BPS and known to make physical symptoms worse.
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.
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.
Diagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis
To exclude these other conditions, urologists may perform simple blood and urine tests and cystoscopy to look at the inner walls of the bladder.
Symptoms such as pain in the pelvic area, needing to pee frequently, and the burning sensation when urinating are common in most patients, however, the intensity and duration of IC flares can vary from person to person.
Some patients with mild IC may have bladders that appear normal during a cystoscopy. IC patients rarely test positive for infection in standard urinalysis and urine cultures. In recent years, there has been much debate about renaming IC.
Frequent urination, often of small amounts, throughout the day and night (up to 60 times a day)
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.
Symptoms of BPS (interstitial cystitis)
intense pelvic pain (felt over your lower tummy) sudden strong urges to pee. needing to pee more often than usual.
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.
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.
Symptoms begin before age 30 in most but an IC diagnosis is often not made until age 40. Genetics appear to play a significant role. It is important to consider these facts when evaluating women with "early IC" because correct diagnosis will result in proper therapy and reduced health care costs.
The cause of interstitial cystitis (IC) is unknown. Researchers are looking at many theories to understand the causes of IC and find the best treatments. Most people with IC find that certain foods make their symptoms worse.
Interstitial cystitis leads to stiffening of the bladder walls, which causes it to hold less urine. Lower quality of life. Frequent urination and chronic pain may interfere with everyday life. Sexual intimacy problems.
Early prevalence research suggested that IC ranged from 1 out of every 100,000 to 5.1 out of every 100,000 in the general population; but updated epidemiologic research conducted in 2006 suggests that up to 12% of women may have early symptoms of IC.
Cystoscopy is not required to diagnose IC/BPS but may be recommended in certain situations.
Abdominal computed tomography (CT) is a tomographic imaging technique which was recently used to detect the treatment-associated decrease in bladder wall thickening of IC/BPS patients 59, identify hidden lesions under scanned area, and exclude malignancies.
There is no known cure for interstitial cystitis, although your OBGYN can treat it to control your pain and other symptoms.