Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder condition that causes pain, pressure, or discomfort that seems to be coming from the bladder. The symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe, and can happen intermittently or constantly. IC affects as many as 3.3 million women and 1.6 million men in the U.S.

Are there risk factors for interstitial cystitis (IC)?

Not specifically. You may be more likely to get IC if you have a blood relative with the condition. About 80 percent of people diagnosed with IC are women, which suggests that being female may increase the risk of getting IC.

What are the symptoms of interstitial cystitis?

The symptoms of IC vary for different patients. A person with IC often has to urinate frequently both day and night. Urgency to urinate is a common symptom. Some patients feel a constant urge that never goes away, even right after they urinate. Some IC patients may have pain in the bladder as well as other areas (the urethra, lower abdomen, lower back, or the pelvic or perineal area.) For women, the pain can be in the vulva or the vagina, and men may feel pain in the scrotum, testicles, or penis. The pain may be constant or may come and go.

How is interstitial cystitis diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask your medical history, and conduct a physical exam and urine tests. These tests are important to rule out other conditions that might be causing the symptoms.

Some doctors use a test called a cystoscopy, where they look inside the bladder with a cystoscope while the patient is awake. This test can rule out diseases like cancer. Cystoscopy examination is usually normal, but some IC patients will have small areas of bleeding, or actual ulcers, during the test, which the doctor can see through the cystoscope. If a person has symptoms of IC and the cystoscopy shows bleeding or ulcers, the diagnosis is fairly certain.

How is interstitial cystitis treated?

IC treatment depends on your symptoms. Some patients may need to try different treatments (or combinations of treatments) until symptoms are relieved. Most of these are different types of medications, either taken orally or instilled via catheter. Some patients do not respond to medications but can have significant improvement in their quality of life with adequate pain management. That can include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, moderate strength opiates, and stronger long-acting opiates as well as nerve blocks, acupuncture and other non-drug therapies.