Interstitial Cystitis

Summary

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that causes discomfort or pain in the bladder and a need to urinate frequently and urgently. It is far more common in women than in men. The symptoms vary from person to person. Some people may have pain without urgency or frequency. Others have urgency and frequency without pain. Women’s symptoms often get worse during their periods. They may also have pain with sexual intercourse.

The cause of IC isn’t known. There is no one test to tell if you have it. Doctors often run tests to rule out other possible causes of symptoms. There is no cure for IC, but treatments can help most people feel better. They include:

• Distending, or inflating, the bladder
• Bathing the inside of the bladder with a drug solution
• Oral medicines
• Electrical nerve stimulation
• Physical therapy
• Lifestyle changes
• Bladder training
• In rare cases, surgery

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Women

• Bladder Pain Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Cystitis National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Cystitis, Interstitial National Institutes of Health

Encyclopedia

• Cystoscopy Medical Encyclopedia
• Urination – painful Medical Encyclopedia

Diagnosis and Tests

• Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• Diagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Definition and Facts of Interstitial Cystitis National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• Interstitial Cystitis American Academy of Family Physicians
• Interstitial Cystitis Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Living With

• Eating, Diet, and Nutrition for Interstitial Cystitis National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Patient Handouts

• Interstitial cystitis Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Journal Articles

• Interstitial Cystitis

Symptoms

• Symptoms and Causes of Interstitial Cystitis National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Treatments and Therapies

• Treatment for Interstitial Cystitis National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Reference Desk

• Urinary Tract and How It Works National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases