How to Spot Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder problem that causes pain and other symptoms. More than 700 thousand Americans have interstitial cystitis. It often shows up between the ages of 30 and 40, and women are ten times more likely to have it than men. Untreated, interstitial cystitis can cause chronic pain, scarring and sometimes bleeding. With a little knowledge, you will be able to spot symptoms of interstitial cystitis.

Things You'll Need

• Urologist

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Instructions

• 1

  Be alert for pain in your bladder and pelvic area (the area between your belly button and your thigh). If you have discomfort, pressure, tenderness or intense pain in this area, you have one of the symptoms of interstitial cystitis.

• 2

  Notice if you feel like you have a full bladder and need to get to the bathroom immediately, feel pain when you urinate, or feel that you always need to go to the bathroom (even when you have just been). These are all symptoms of interstitial cystitis.

• 3

  Record the days when you feel the above symptoms. If you are a woman and they seem to worsen during your period, this could be a sign of interstitial cystitis. Many women with interstitial cystitis also experience pain during intercourse.

• 4

  Also record muscle and joint pain, migraines, allergic reactions and gastrointestinal problems that may be occurring along with the more common symptoms described above. Interstitial cystitis has a mysterious association with other chronic diseases like fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome.

• 5

  Educate yourself. Arm yourself with authoritative information so that you can approach this problem from the best possible angle (see Resources below).