Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is a bladder condition that causes pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic area, increased frequency of urine, increased frequency of urination at night and a strong urge to pass urine which may be difficult to control.

This can disrupt the normal life of an individual considerably. The condition is much more common in women than in men.

The exact cause of interstitial cystitis is not clear, but there is no infection in the bladder. Infection if any is additional and will only make the situation worse.

A cystoscopy is usually done to make a diagnosis. On cystoscopy, the bladder is inflamed, ulcerated, and scarred.

Treatments Options

Medicines such as painkillers (paracetamol and ibuprofen)
Antihistamines (loratadine and cetirizine) and prescription drugs can be given to help relieve the symptoms.
Physiotherapy and bladder retraining can help.
Cystoscopy and bladder distension with fluid may help sometimes and temporarily relieve the symptoms
The ulcers inside the bladder can be cauterized with an electrical current and can help in the pain and inflammation.
Botulinum toxin injection is injected directly into the bladder to temporarily relieve symptoms.
There are some specialized surgeries that are done in extreme cases.
In very rare cases, it may be necessary to remove the bladder completely (cystectomy) and then making a new outlet for the urine through a stoma or else a new bladder using the small intestine.

Management of Interstitial Cystitis

Lifestyle improvement
Adequate Hydration
Behavioral Therapy
Stress Relieving Techniques such as meditation can help
Avoiding Certain Foods (such as tomatoes)
Avoid Smoking (nicotine can irritate the bladder wall causing inflammation)
Avoid Alcohol
Planned Toilet Breaks – taking regular planned toilet breaks may help to deal with the urgency