About Interstitial Cystitis
What Is Interstital
Cystitis?
According to the National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Interstitial
cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder. Unlike
urinary tract infection (common cystitis), which is caused by bacteria
and can usually be treated successfully with antibiotics, IC is believed
not to be caused by bacteria and does not respond to conventional antibiotic
therapy. IC also is not a "psychosomatic" disorder, nor is it
caused by stress (although stress certainly can make its symptoms worse).
IC can affect people of any age, race or gender. It is, however, most
commonly found in women. There are more than 700,000 cases of IC in women
in the US and a roughly comparable number of men with prostatitis also
may be afflicted with IC.
What
Are the Symptoms of IC?
Patients with IC may experience mild discomfort, pressure, tenderness,
or intense pain in the bladder and surrounding pelvic area. Symptoms also
may include an urgent need to urinate (urgency), a frequent need to urinate
(frequency), or a combination of both these symptoms. Women's symptoms
often worsen during menstruation. Pain is also frequently experienced
during sexual intercourse. Men with IC may experience testicular, scrotal
and/or perineal pain, and painful ejaculation. The symptoms of IC vary
from case to case and even in the same individual.
What Causes IC?
IC currently is a "medically unexplained syndrome", which
means that we don't yet understand the causes the signs. There may be
more than one cause, since the bladder has only a limited number of ways
to respond to stimuli. One of the primary goals of this Center is to begin
to unravel some of the competing theories about the cause(s) of IC!
What Can I do to
Help My IC Symptoms?
To date there is no cure for IC, nor is there an effective treatment
that works for everyone. Since the causes of IC are unknown, current treatment
options are aimed at relieving symptoms. If you have been diagnosed with
IC, consult a qualified and compassionate medical doctor who can help
you to explore your treatment options, such as oral medications, bladder
instillation, bladder distension, nerve stimulation and surgery.
There is no scientific evidence that diet is linked to IC, but many people
find that aged and fermented foods, alcohol, acidic foods, spicy foods,
chocolate and caffeine seem to aggravate bladder irritation and inflammation,
particularly during periods of flares. Some people have also noticed that
their symptoms worsen after eating or drinking products containing artificial
sweeteners. Many feel that smoking makes their symptoms worse. Despite
this, many patients do not notice effects of foods, and there are special
cookbooks for those who do that help ensure that patient's nutritional
status and satisfaction with dining are not damaged.
Some people find that gentle stretching exercises may help alleviate symptoms.
Another option is to retrain your bladder by designating specific times
to void (empty the bladder) and using relaxing techniques and distractions
to keep to the schedule and then gradually increasing the length of time
between scheduled voids. A variety of coping and self care strategies
that you can tailor to your individual preferences are available.
What We Are Doing
at CNS/WH:
Interstitial Cystitis
and the CNS/WH Center*
Comparing IC and IBS*
Providing strategies
to help patients cope with IC, IBS and related disorders*
Presenting Results at
Scientific Meetings*
* PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document. Click here to get the free Acrobat Reader.
Information and
Links:
NIDDK
Interstitial Cystitis
Association
The International
Pelvic Pain Society
The International
Association for the Study of Pain