Overview

Interstitial cystitis (in-tur-STISH-ul sis-TIE-tis) — also called painful bladder syndrome — is a chronic condition causing bladder pressure, bladder pain and sometimes pelvic pain. The pain ranges from mild discomfort to severe.

Your bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine. The bladder expands until it's full and then signals your brain that it's time to urinate, communicating through the pelvic nerves. This creates the urge to urinate for most people.

With interstitial cystitis, these signals get mixed up — you feel the need to urinate more often and with smaller volumes of urine than most people.

Interstitial cystitis most often affects women and can have a long-lasting impact on quality of life. Although there's no cure, medications and other therapies may offer relief.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of interstitial cystitis vary from person to person. 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.

Interstitial cystitis signs and symptoms include:

• Pain in your pelvis or between the vagina and anus in women
• Pain between the scrotum and anus in men (perineum)
• Chronic pelvic pain
• 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 sexual intercourse.

Symptoms severity is different for everyone, and some people may experience symptom-free periods.

Although signs and symptoms of interstitial cystitis may resemble those of a chronic urinary tract infection, there's usually no infection. However, symptoms may worsen if a person with interstitial cystitis gets a urinary tract infection.

When to see a doctor

If you're experiencing chronic bladder pain or urinary urgency and frequency, contact your doctor.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Causes

The exact cause of interstitial cystitis isn't known, but it's likely that many factors contribute. For instance, people with interstitial cystitis may also have a defect in the protective lining (epithelium) of the bladder. A leak in the epithelium may allow toxic substances in urine to irritate your bladder wall.

Other possible but unproven contributing factors include an autoimmune reaction, heredity, infection or allergy.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Diagnosis

The following may be helpful in diagnosing interstitial cystitis:

• Medical history and bladder diary. Your doctor will ask you to describe your symptoms and may ask you to keep a bladder diary, recording the volume of fluids you drink and the volume of urine you pass.
• Pelvic exam. During a pelvic exam, your doctor examines your external genitals, vagina and cervix and feels your abdomen to assess your internal pelvic organs. Your doctor may also examine your anus and rectum.
• Urine test. A sample of your urine is analyzed for signs of a urinary tract infection.
• Cystoscopy. Your doctor inserts a thin tube with a tiny camera (cystoscope) through the urethra, showing the lining of your bladder. Your doctor may also inject liquid into your bladder to measure your bladder capacity. Your doctor may perform this procedure, known as hydrodistention, after you've been numbed with an anesthetic medication to make you more comfortable.
• Biopsy. During cystoscopy under anesthesia, your doctor may remove a sample of tissue (biopsy) from the bladder and the urethra for examination under a microscope. This is to check for bladder cancer and other rare causes of bladder pain.
• Urine cytology. Your doctor collects a urine sample and examines the cells to help rule out cancer.
• Potassium sensitivity test. Your doctor places (instills) two solutions — water and potassium chloride — into your bladder, one at a time. You're asked to rate on a scale of 0 to 5 the pain and urgency you feel after each solution is instilled. If you feel noticeably more pain or urgency with the potassium solution than with the water, your doctor may diagnose interstitial cystitis. People with normal bladders can't tell the difference between the two solutions.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Complications

Interstitial cystitis can result in a number of complications, including:

• Reduced bladder capacity. Interstitial cystitis can cause stiffening of the bladder wall, which allows your bladder to hold less urine.
• Lower quality of life. Frequent urination and pain may interfere with social activities, work and other activities of daily life.
• Sexual intimacy problems. Frequent urination and pain may strain your personal relationships, and sexual intimacy may suffer.
• Emotional troubles. The chronic pain and interrupted sleep associated with interstitial cystitis may cause emotional stress and can lead to depression.

Alternative medicine

Two complementary and alternative therapies show some promise in treating interstitial cystitis:

• Guided imagery. This type of therapy employs visualization and direct suggestions using imagery to help you imagine healing, with the hope that the body will follow the mind's suggestions.
• Acupuncture. During an acupuncture session, a practitioner places numerous thin needles in your skin at specific points on your body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, precisely placed acupuncture needles relieve pain and other symptoms by rebalancing the flow of life energy. Western medical practitioners tend to believe that acupuncture boosts the activity of your body's natural painkillers.

These treatments have not been well-studied for interstitial cystitis, so be sure to discuss the use of these therapies with your doctor.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Lifestyle and home remedies

Some people with interstitial cystitis find symptom relief from these strategies:

• Dietary changes. Eliminating or reducing foods in your diet that irritate your bladder may help to relieve the discomfort of interstitial cystitis.

  Common bladder irritants — known as the "four Cs" — include: carbonated beverages, caffeine in all forms (including chocolate), citrus products and food containing high concentrations of vitamin C. Consider avoiding similar foods, such as tomatoes, pickled foods, alcohol and spices. Artificial sweeteners may aggravate symptoms in some people.

  If you think certain foods may irritate your bladder, try eliminating them from your diet. Reintroduce them one at a time and pay attention to which, if any, worsen symptoms.

• Bladder training. Bladder training involves timed urination — going to the toilet according to the clock rather than waiting for the need to go. You start by urinating at set intervals, such as every half-hour — whether you have to go or not. Then you gradually wait longer between bathroom visits.

  During bladder training, you may learn to control urinary urges by using relaxation techniques, such as breathing slowly and deeply or distracting yourself with another activity.

  These self-care measures also may help:

• Wear loose clothing. Avoid belts or clothes that put pressure on your abdomen.
• Reduce stress. Try methods such as visualization and biofeedback.
• If you smoke, stop. Smoking may worsen any painful condition, and smoking contributes to bladder cancer.
• Exercise. Easy stretching exercises may help reduce interstitial cystitis symptoms.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Coping and support

Interstitial cystitis can worsen your quality of life. Support from family and friends is important, but because the condition is a urinary problem, you may find the topic difficult to discuss.

Find a supportive doctor who is concerned about your quality of life as well as your condition. Seek someone who will work with you to help relieve your urinary frequency, urgency and bladder pain.

You might also benefit from joining a support group. A support group can provide sympathetic listening and useful information. Ask your doctor for information on support groups or see the Interstitial Cystitis Association on the web.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Risk factors

These factors are associated with a higher risk of interstitial cystitis:

• Your sex. Women are diagnosed with interstitial cystitis more often than men. Symptoms in men may mimic interstitial cystitis, but they're more often associated with an inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis).
• Your skin and hair color. Having fair skin and red hair has been associated with a greater risk of interstitial cystitis.
• Your age. Most people with interstitial cystitis are diagnosed during their 30s or older.
• Having a chronic pain disorder. Interstitial cystitis may be associated with other chronic pain disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome or fibromyalgia.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com