What is interstitial cystitis (IC)?
IC is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder wall, which frequently goes undiagnosed. Although the cause is unknown and no treatment is uniformly effective for everyone, many treatments are available and the vast majority of patients obtain relief.
What are the symptoms of IC?
Symptoms include bladder pain, urinary urgency, day and night frequency (up to 60 times per day), suprapubic (lower abdominal) or perineal (area between the vagina and anus), pain and pressure, and painful sexual intercourse. Women’s symptoms often get worse during menstruation.
Are there different types of IC?
Most IC experts agree that IC appears to be a multifactoral syndrome rather than a single disease and may have more than one cause. The cause(s) and symptoms of IC may vary from patient to patient. There are currently considered to be two types of IC:
- Non-ulcerative IC
- Ulcerative IC (Hunner’s patches or ulcers)
Many researchers and clinicians have questioned the usefulness of this classification, since the vast majority (about 90%) of cases do not involve ulcers, and their presence or absence does not influence treatment options.
How do I know if I have IC?
You may suspect IC if:
- You feel unexplained pain and pressure in the urethra, the vagina, the area above the pubic bone, the inside of the thighs, the lower abdomen, the lower back, or the groin area, in any combination.
- You urinate frequently (normally, people urinate an average of 6-7 times per day, IC patients average about 16 times per day, and some urinate as often as 60 times per day)
- You are unable to hold a lot of urine
- You wake more than once a night to urinate
- You may feel the urge to urinate, sometimes even after you’ve emptied your bladder
- Your symptoms flare up with sexual intercourse, menstruation, certain foods, allergies, or stress
- Your symptoms come and go
Because IC symptoms are similar to those of other disorders of the urinary system and because there is no definitive test to identify IC, doctors must rule out other conditions before considering a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.
How common is IC, and whom does it affect?
Originally, IC was thought to be a rare disease affecting mostly post-menopausal women. Now, it is clear that IC can affect any age group, and men and children as well. A recent study found that the prevalence of interstitial cystitis in the U.S. is over 700,000. More than 90% of those affected are women.
