What is Interstitial Cystitis (IC)?

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a mysterious condition that means the chronic inflammation of the bladder muscle layers and presents with the following symptoms:

• Pelvic and abdominal pain and pressure
• Frequent urination
• Urgency or a feeling that you have to urinate and that you just went
• Incontinence or the involuntary leakage of urine

Discomfort can range from a burning sensation to excruciating pain. The intensity can be steady or periodic. Some people have periods of remission.

According to the Interstitial Cystitis Association, more than 12 million people in the United States have IC. More women are diagnosed than any other category, but children and adult males also fall victim.

Other names for IC include persistent pelvic pain (CPP), painful bladder syndrome (PBS), and bladder pain syndrome (BPS).

What is the symptom of interstitial cystitis (IC)?

You can have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Chronic or intermittent pain in your pelvis
• Pelvic pressure or discomfort
• Urge to urinate, day or night
• Frequent urination day and night
• Pain during sexual intercourse

Your symptoms may change from day to day, and you may experience many symptom-free days. You may have worse symptoms if you suffer a urinary tract infection.

What causes interstitial cystitis (IC)?

The cause of IC is unknown, but researchers believe several factors may cause inflammation in the bladder lining, which activates the disease. They include:

• Trauma to the bladder lining-for instance, resulting from surgery
• Over distension of the bladder, commonly linked with long periods of inaccessibility to a bathroom
• Weak or compromised pelvic floor muscles
• Autoimmune disease
• Recurring infections by bacteria
• Sensitivity or inflammation of nerves in the pelvis
• Damage to the spinal cord

Most patients with IC also present with IBS or fibromyalgia. According to some scientists, IC represents a feature of a generalized inflammatory syndrome which impacts multiple organ systems.

Researchers are also looking into whether the condition may be inherited as a predisposition. Though rare, IC has been known to occur among blood relatives. Some have involved mothers and daughters; others among two or more sisters.

Research is currently being conducted to determine the cause of this disease and how treatment might be successful for IC.

How is interstitial cystitis (IC) diagnosed?

Because IC resembles many of the symptoms of other conditions affecting the bladder, your doctor will need to rule out other diagnoses first. Other conditions include:

• Urinary tract infections
• Bladder cancer
• Chronic prostatitis (men)
• Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (men)
• Endometriosis (women)

Because of the lack of definitive testing for IC, most cases of IC remain undiagnosed.

You will be diagnosed with IC once your doctor has ruled out that your symptoms are not caused by one of the above conditions.

Potential complications of IC

IC causes various complications, such as:

• Reduced bladder capacity due to the stiffening of the bladder wall
• Lower quality of life as a result of the frequent urination and pain
• Barriers to relationships and sexual intimacy
• Problems with self-esteem and social embarrassment
• Sleep disturbances
• Anxiety and depression

How is interstitial cystitis (IC) treated?

IC has no cure or any known definitive treatment. Most people combine treatments, so you probably will have to try some approaches before you settle on the therapy that provides you with the most relief. Here are some of the ways of treating IC.

Medications:

Your doctor may prescribe one or more of the following drugs to help improve your symptoms:

• The Food and Drug Administration has approved pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron) for IC. Doctors are not exactly sure how pentosan works, but it could help repair the small tears or defects in the bladder wall.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories: Even though these medications, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, and many others, are not FDA-approved for IC, many patients take them to help control their pain and inflammation.
• Tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline are used by some patients to relax the bladder muscles and also to block pain.
• Antihistamines, such as Claritin, reduce urgency and frequency.

Bladder distention:

The test involves filling the bladder with water or gas, which causes the bladder wall to stretch. It may provide relief from the symptoms for some women, possibly by enlarging the capacity of the bladder and by disrupting pain signals sent by nerves in the bladder. Improvement in your symptoms could take as few as two to four weeks.

Bladder instillation:

The process is known as bladder instillation. Bladder instillation is the filling of the bladder with a solution that contains dimethyl sulfoxide, abbreviated as DMSO. DMSO solution is left inside the bladder for 10 to 15 minutes. It is then flushed out. The cycle of treatment involves up to two treatments in a week for six to eight weeks. This cycle can be repeated.

It may reduce inflammation in the bladder wall. It may also decrease the muscle spasms that can cause pain, frequency, and urgency.

Electrical nerve stimulation:

TENS deploys minor electrical impulses through the skin to activate the nerves going to the bladder. TENS could help in reducing symptoms by promoting blood flow to the bladder, thus making it easier to strengthen the pelvic muscles working to control the bladder, or by releasing chemicals that work as a chemical blockade to the pain-causing messages.

Diet:

Most patients with IC experience specific foods and drinks exacerbate their symptoms. Common culprits include:

• Alcohol
• Tomatoes
• Spices
• Chocolate
• Anything with caffeine
• Acid-forming foods including citrus fruits and juices of them

Your doctor is better able to make recommendations as to the presence of some specific food or beverage sensitivities.

Quitting smoking

There is no known association between smoking and IC but, conversely, it is certainly a cause of bladder cancer. It could be one of the factors that reduces or maybe even eliminates the symptoms.

Exercise

Exercise is commonly a strong tool for people managing their symptoms. At times, you have to change your lifestyle pattern to completely steer away from activities that flare up your condition. You may want to explore some of the following exercises:

• yoga
• brisk walking
• tai chi
• low-impact aerobics or Pilates

A physical therapist can teach you exercises to help strengthen your bladder and pelvic muscles. Ask your doctor if he or she can recommend a physical therapist.

Bladder training:

Techniques to help decrease the frequency of urination also may relieve symptoms. Your doctor can talk to you about these techniques.

Stress Reduction:

Your ability to handle the stresses of daily life and the stress of having IC may also help alleviate symptoms. Meditation and biofeedback also may be beneficial.

There are some surgical procedures that can enlarge the bladder, remove or treat ulcers of the bladder. Surgery is not often necessary, and it is used solely as a treatment alternative for those with acute symptoms for whom other treatments have not provided relief. Your doctor will inform you of these possibilities, should you be a surgical candidate.

Will interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome ever heal?

It depends. Most individuals with IC/BPS require lifelong treatment. If they stop treatment, their symptoms may return. They can even have relapses while they are under treatment for IC/BPS.

Some individuals respond to treatment. Their symptoms gradually get better and can even subside completely.

How can I prevent interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome?

Healthcare providers and medical researchers don't know how to lower your chance of getting IC/BPS or how to prevent a return of symptoms. You might be able to reduce flare-ups by:

• Keeping a food diary, identifying possible trigger foods and avoiding them.
• Continuing your treatment even after your symptoms have cleared.
• Reducing stress in your life.

What is the outlook for this condition if I have it?

For many people, IC/BPS is a lifelong condition. Your symptoms may be mild or severe. They may come and go, or they may constantly present. See a healthcare provider to help decide your prognosis and best treatment plan.

Living With

How can I take care of myself?

Some general tips may minimize the length and severity of your IC/BPS flare-ups:

• Take medication that may help improve your symptoms once you notice that an attack has started.
• Drink more fluids above what is considered normal to make you urinate to help relieve pain.
• Your lower abdomen or perineum—the area between your genitalia and rectum—can be treated with an ice pack or heating pad.
• Have a warm sitz bath.
• Help soothe your pelvic floor muscles by squatting with your legs spread apart. You may also do well with the "happy baby" yoga pose — lie on your back, bring your knees to your chest, point your feet to the ceiling and take the outsides of your feet in your hands.
• Relaxation techniques
• Avoid clothing that binds you across the abdomen, such as tight pants, hosiery, tights and girdles.

Why Choose Tender Palm Super Speciality Hospital for Interstitial Cystitis (IC) treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Hospital has the most experienced team of Urologists and diagnostics with the latest and International standard infection control measures in Lucknow, India. The Urology team has decades of experience in successfully treating Interstitial cystitis (IC) in Lucknow, India.

To Seek an Expert Consultation for Interstitial cystitis (IC) treatment in Lucknow, India

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

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