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Interstitial Cystitis Treatments

Interstitial cystitis is a medical condition that is also known as painful bladder syndrome. This chronic condition causes urinary burning and urgency, bladder pressure, and mild to severe bladder pain. Interstitial cystitis affects one million Americans and is commonly diagnosed in women. Interstitial cystitis patients are treated with a variety of medications to relieve painful, uncomfortable symptoms.

  1. Oral Medication

    • Oral medication can help alleviate mild pain symptoms. Some commonly prescribed oral drugs include: ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Bayer and Ecotrin), and antihistamines (Benadryl and Claritin). These drugs can be purchased over the counter and are less expensive than prescription medication. Tricyclic antidepressants such as Tofranil are prescribed by doctors to block pain and relax the bladder.

    Nerve Stimulation

    • Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) relieves bladder and pelvic pain by administering mild electrical pulses to the lower back or above the pubic bone area. Depending on the severity of patients' conditions, treatment can be given for a few minutes or hours. Some patients only need TENS once a week while other patients may need longer treatments. TENS relieves bladder pain and urinary frequency. Sometimes a TENS device is inserted inside a woman's vagina or a man's rectum when aggressive treatment is required.

    Bladder Distention

    • Another way to treat interstitial cystitis is through bladder distention. The bladder is stretched via a gas or water technique. Bladder distention is usually a temporary fix for severe symptoms and may need to be repeated over time. Bladder distention is also used to initially diagnose patients with interstitial cystitis.

    Bladder Instillation

    • Medication such as dimethyl sulfoxide is placed inside the bladder through a thin tube called a catheter. Dimethyl sulfoxide is sometimes mixed with a local anesthetic. The patient waits for 15 minutes and then urinates to get rid of the medication. Bladder instillation helps reduce inflammation, and urination urgency and frequency which is associated with interstitial cystitis. Some patients may need bladder instillation treatments for a few weeks and patients with severe symptoms undergo treatment up to one year.

    Surgery

    • Surgery is a rare treatment used for interstitial cystitis. However, some patients must undergo surgery to reduce symptoms. Patients who are unable to store large amounts of urine in their bladder may opt for surgery. Some procedures include: bladder augmentation (damaged parts of the bladder are removed), fulguration (burns off ulcers found within the urethra), and resection (instruments are used to cut around ulcers). Fulguration and resection can sometimes worsen symptoms and may not alleviate all symptoms.

    Warnings

    • Patients should never self-diagnose symptoms related to interstitial cystitis. Bladder pain could be associated with another medical condition and only a medical doctor can make the correct diagnosis. People should never ignore pain associated with the bladder and pelvic area, and should seek immediate medical attention.

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