What Is Interstitial Cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis (IC), often known as painful bladder syndrome, is a difficult ailment to diagnose. It’s difficult to diagnose, and while treatments can make life easier for those who suffer from it, there is no cure for it. Since IC manifests itself in such a wide spectrum of symptoms and severity, most doctors believe it to be a combination of disorders. You may have IC if you have urine pain that lasts longer than 6 weeks and is not caused by other illnesses such as infection or kidney stones.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a long-term bladder condition. After your kidneys have filtered it, your bladder keeps it until you are ready to pee it out. Below your belly button, this condition creates pain and pressure. Symptoms may appear and disappear at any time. Urgent and often painful toilet trips are a result of interstitial cystitis. In extreme circumstances, you may need to pee up to 40-60 times every day and it can even keep you up at night.

Women account for up to 90% of those with IC. Adult women with IC account for approximately 3% to 6% of the population. This equates to about 3 to 8 million American women. It affects about 1.3 percent of American men. People typically begin to have troubles in their 40s. As you get older, your chances of contracting it increase.

Causes of Interstitial Cystitis

Despite the fact that the actual cause of IC is unknown, you may notice that specific events or causes initiate or trigger symptom flare-ups. Symptom flares might exacerbate your IC symptoms. Some of these flare-ups include:

• being under stress, or experiencing specific emotions such as rage or despair
• having sex
• a monthly menstrual cycle
• suffering from a urinary tract infection.
• urinating or holding pee for an excessive amount of time
• not eating or if being dehydrated
• seasonal or weather changes can be felt.
• allergy symptoms
• using certain chemicals in laundry detergents or are in pool water that contains
• certain compounds
• using certain toilet paper brands
• pushing or lifting big objects.
• long periods of time standing
• getting pap smear
• taking antidepressants, sinus medications, or pain relievers
• moving in a jerky or bumpy manner
• taking specific medications or fail to take their medications
• putting on a pair of tight-fitting pants and underwear

Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis

IC symptoms vary from person to person and might be minor, severe, intermittent, or persistent. It’s possible that the symptoms are similar to those of a bladder infection. Symptoms in women are often worse during their menstrual periods.
The following are symptoms of interstitial cystitis (IC):

• Bladder pain and pressure worsen as your bladder fills up.
• Lower stomach, lower back, pelvic, or urethra pain
• Pain in the vulva, vagina, or area behind the vagina for women
• Pain in the scrotum, testicles, penis, or behind the scrotum in men.
• The need to pee frequently for more than the normal 7-8 times daily
• You have the urge to pee right now, or even right after you’ve gone.
• Pain during sex is a common complaint among women.
• For men, discomfort during or after intercourse is a common occurrence.

How to Treat Interstitial Cystitis

Although IC/PBS cannot be cured, it can be managed in a variety of ways. It’s impossible to know who will respond best to which therapies. IC/PBS symptoms may become more severe or disappear. Even if symptoms go away for a few days, weeks, months, or years, they may reappear.
The goal of IC/PBS treatment is to alleviate symptoms. Doctors will assist in determining the best course of treatment. For some people, treatments are combined.

Diet

Some persons with IC/PBS report that specific meals or beverages aggravate their symptoms. You might find it useful to keep a food and drink diary to check whether any meals or drinks trigger symptoms or flare-ups. Acidic meals can irritate the bladder in persons with IC/PBS. If this is the case, your doctor may advise you to take an antacid with your meals to minimize the quantity of acid in your urine. You might also want to cut out some things from your diet, such as:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Carbonated drinks
• Artificial sweeteners
• Chocolate
• Tomatoes

Bladder Retraining

Even if the bladder is not full, a person with bladder pain might develop the habit of going to the bathroom as soon as he or she feels pain or urgency. As a result, his or her body may become accustomed to frequent restroom visits. Bladder retraining is a method of attempting to break this behavior by assisting you in holding urine for longer periods of time. Keep a diary of how often you urinate and how often you get the urge to urinate to apply bladder retraining. With the help of the journal, progressively extend the duration between bathroom stops.

Physical Therapy

The pelvic muscles help control urine by holding the bladder in place. These muscles can be exercised to help with IC/PBS symptoms. With the help of your doctor or physical therapist performing these exercises can be done properly.

Oral Medications

Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) is a medicine licensed to relieve IC pain. It’s possible that you’ll need to take this medication for up to six months before you see any results. Heartburn medications may alleviate the symptoms of IC by lowering the quantity of acid produced by the body. Muscle relaxants reduce symptoms by preventing the bladder from squeezing at inopportune times. Antidepressants can help patients with IC manage their pain. Patients with IC have been reported to benefit from tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil), which have been shown to lessen discomfort and frequency of urine. In IC patients, narcotic pain medicines are not commonly utilized to manage pain.

Physical Activity

Physical activity and exercise may assist to alleviate the symptoms of IC/PBS. Walking, biking, and gentle stretching are some examples.

Reducing Stress

For someone with IC/PBS, stress can cause flare-ups and symptoms. Living with IC/PBS may be made easier by learning stress-reduction techniques and scheduling time for relaxation.

Nerve Stimulation

Nerve stimulation is a treatment for bladder control. These treatments are most effective at reducing urinary urgency and frequency, although they can also help with bladder/suprapubic pain.

Surgery

Surgery is only done as a last resort to treat IC/PBS. Parts of the bladder, or possibly the complete bladder, may be removed during surgery. Surgery may be considered if the patient has exhausted all other therapy options and the pain is severe.

Bladder Instillation

Bladder instillation entails injecting a solution containing dimethyl sulfoxide (Rimso-50), often known as DMSO, into the bladder. The DMSO solution helps minimize bladder wall inflammation. It may also help to prevent painful, frequent, and urgent muscular spasms.

Possible Complications of Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis can lead to a variety of problems, including:

• Bladder Capacity is Reduced: Interstitial cystitis causes the bladder wall to stiffen, allowing the bladder to hold less urine.
• A Lower Standard of Living: Urination problems and pain might make it difficult to participate in social activities, work, and other daily tasks.
• Problems with Sexual Intimacy: Your personal connections may be strained as a result of frequent urination and pain, and your sexual intimacy may diminish.
• Emotional Difficulties: Interstitial cystitis is connected with persistent pain and disrupted sleep, which can induce emotional stress and melancholy.

Now that you Know…

Interstitial cystitis can have a negative impact on your quality of life. Support from family and friends is crucial, but because this is a urinary problem, you may find it difficult to bring up the subject. Find a health care professional who is concerned about both your health and your quality of life. Look for someone who will work with you to relieve your bladder pain, urgency, and frequency. Joining a support group may also be beneficial. A support group can provide helpful information, as well as sympathetic listening.