Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition that causes bladder pressure, pain, and, in some cases, pelvic pain. The pain ranges from mild discomfort to excruciating agony. The condition is part of a group of conditions known as painful bladder syndrome. Urine is stored in your bladder, which is a hollow, muscular organ. The bladder expands until it is full, at which point it sends a signal to your brain via the pelvic nerves that it is time to urinate. Most people feel the need to urinate as a result. There are ways to deal with such problems with the help of …………………
These signals become muddled when you have interstitial cystitis, causing you to urinate more frequently and with smaller volumes of urine than most people.
Women are more likely to be affected by interstitial cystitis, which can have a long-term impact on their quality of life.
Symptoms
- The symptoms of IC/BPS vary from patient to patient, but the most common symptom is pain (often with pressure). Patients suffering from IC/BPS may experience bladder pain that worsens as the bladder fills. In addition to the bladder, some patients experience pain in the urethra, lower abdomen, lower back, or pelvic or perineal area (in women, behind the vagina and in men, behind the scrotum).
- Urinary frequency is sometimes the starting point for frequency IC/BPS. The need to pass urine more frequently than usual is referred to as frequency. The average person only urinates 7 times per day. He or she does not need to get up more than once in the middle of the night to use the restroom.
- A patient with IC/BPS frequently needs to urinate both during the day and at night. As the frequency increases, so does the sense of urgency.
- The need to pee frequently (more than the normal 7-8 times daily)
- The sensation that you need to pee right now, or even right after you go.
- Pain during sex is a common complaint among women.
- Pain during or after sex is a common complaint among men.
- Bladder pain caused by IC can range from a dull ache to a piercing pain. Peeing can feel like a minor sting or a severe burning sensation.
Treatments
Treatments for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder can include:
Diet
Some people with IC/PBS discover that certain foods or drinks aggravate their symptoms. You may find it useful to keep a food and drink diary to see if any foods or drinks cause symptoms and/or flare-ups. You should also eliminate certain foods from your diet, such as:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Beverages with carbonation
- Chocolate
Exercise and physical activity
This activity may help alleviate the symptoms of IC/PBS. Exercises may include the following:
- Walking
- Biking
- Stretching that is gentle
Stress reduction
Stress can cause flare-ups and symptoms in people with IC/PBS. Learning stress-reduction techniques and making time for relaxation may help make living with IC/PBS easier.
- Autoimmune disease
- Allergies.
- Defects in the bladder lining.
- Vascular disease (disease of blood vessels).
- Mast cell abnormalities (cells that cause allergic symptoms).
- The presence of unusual substances in the urine.