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Characteristics of Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis, also known as IC, is a bladder disorder with symptoms ranging from mild to debilitating. The bladder wall becomes irritated and scarred causing pain in the pelvic region and urinary frequency. More women than men are afflicted with interstitial cystitis and no cure has yet been found.

  1. Symptoms

    • Symptoms of IC are similar to urinary tract infection symptoms. You may feel an urgency to urinate and make frequent trips to the bathroom. There may also be burning and pain while urinating, and pain and pressure as the bladder fills with urine. IC sufferers may also feel pain in the lower back, urethra, lower stomach and pelvic region. Certain foods and drinks can irritate bladder walls and cause pain. Blood may appear on urine samples while no infection is present.

    Diagnosis

    • Diagnosis for interstitial cystitis is a process of ruling out other medical conditions. Urine samples are taken to rule out infection and a cat scan may be ordered to rule out kidney stones. A cystoscopy with distention will be performed by your doctor. During this procedure, your bladder is filled with water through a catheter to inflate and expand bladder walls. A flexible tube with a camera and light is then inserted into the bladder through the urethra and your doctor is able to look and take pictures of the lining of your bladder. If the bladder wall shows punctures or holes, the diagnosis is usually IC.

    Medications For IC

    • Elmiron is an oral medication prescribed for IC and dosage is normally 100 mg three times a day. Elmiron has mild side effects, but can affect liver function. Ibuprofen and aspirin may be taken for pain. An antidepressant called Elavil may reduce pain by interfering with pain signals sent to the brain. Overactive bladder medications such as Vesicare may help with frequency and urgency.

    Bladder Instillations

    • Interstitial cystitis patients may receive benefit from bladder instillations, also called bladder bath or bladder wash. Your doctor inserts a tube up into your urethra then into the bladder. Medication is passed through the tube into your bladder where it remains for 15 to 20 minutes and then is expelled. Treatments are given once a week for about six to eight weeks. The medication heals the bladder wall lining reducing pain and frequency.

    Diet

    • Certain foods can aggravate the bladder lining and IC patients do well to avoid these foods. Coffee, tea, alcohol, chocolate, tomatoes and acidic foods can cause immense pain in people suffering from IC. A food diary will help you remember which foods cause you pain. Some people can reintroduce foods back into their diet by eating a small amount and seeing how it affects them.

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