What is the difference between cystitis and interstitial cystitis?

IC should not be confused with common cystitis, a bacterial infection of the bladder that is the most common type of urinary tract infection (UTI). Unlike common cystitis, interstitial cystitis is not caused by bacteria, nor does it respond to antibiotics.

How is interstitial cystitis different from acute cystitis?

Cystitis can be either acute or interstitial. Acute cystitis is a case of cystitis that occurs suddenly. Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic or long-term case of cystitis that affects multiple layers of bladder tissue.

What is the main cause of interstitial cystitis?

The exact cause of interstitial cystitis isn't known, but it's likely that many factors contribute. For instance, people with interstitial cystitis may also have a defect in the protective lining (epithelium) of the bladder. A leak in the epithelium may allow toxic substances in urine to irritate your bladder wall.

How to tell the difference between a bladder infection and interstitial cystitis?

The Difference Between a UTI and IC

In women who have interstitial cystitis, urine culture results will be negative, meaning that no bacteria are found in the urine as with a urinary tract infection. With IC, women may also experience pain during sexual intercourse, another symptom not commonly associated with a UTI.

What is interstitial cystitis mistaken for?

IC/BPS is often mistaken for a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder infection, which it is not. Some IC/BPS patients do have low levels of bacteria in their urine that don't normally qualify as a urinary tract infection and others may have atypical bacteria, such as ureaplasm.

What's the difference between Interstitial Cystitis and Bladder Pain Syndrome?

Where is the pain located in interstitial cystitis?

People with interstitial cystitis (IC) have repeat discomfort, pressure, tenderness or pain in the bladder, lower abdomen, and pelvic area. Symptoms vary from person to person, may be mild or severe, and can even change in each person as time goes on.

How do you get rid of interstitial cystitis?

Can interstitial cystitis just go away?

For about half the cases, interstitial cystitis goes away by itself. Among those who need treatment, most find relief and get their lives back to normal. Treatment is mainly about symptom control. It takes trial and error to find the right combination of treatments.

What is the latest treatment for interstitial cystitis?

Dimethylsulfoxide — Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is a liquid medication that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). DMSO is put into the bladder through a temporary catheter and is held in place for approximately 20 minutes, if possible.

How serious is interstitial cystitis?

What is the outlook for interstitial cystitis? IC is a chronic disease. Patients may find some comfort in the fact that it is not life-threatening and it does not lead to cancer. However, because the symptoms are always present, patients need to develop coping skills to deal with them.

What is the most common treatment for interstitial cystitis?

Amitriptyline is the medication most commonly prescribed for interstitial cystitis. Elmiron is the only oral drug approved by the FDA specifically for interstitial cystitis. It improves the bladder lining, making it less leaky and therefore less inflamed and painful.

What is the best home remedy for interstitial cystitis?

What foods trigger interstitial cystitis?

Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.

Do you feel ill with interstitial cystitis?

Patients with interstitial cystitis had higher scores than controls for 2 reference symptoms, including other pelvic discomfort, backache, dizziness, chest pain, aches in joints, abdominal cramps, nausea, heart pounding and headache (p <0.01).

Can you cure interstitial cystitis naturally?

The most proven treatment for interstitial cystitis is natural. Pelvic floor physical therapy resolves IC symptoms naturally and gets to the underlying 'why' of symptoms for lasting relief. Natural supplements and remedies have also been tested and proven to help those with IC.

How long do interstitial cystitis last?

Pain is often a later symptom but many patients may never develop it. In the early phase of IC the symptom flares are intermittent in most patients. Over time symptoms increase and pain cycles may appear and last for 3-14 days.

How common is interstitial cystitis?

Early prevalence research suggested that IC ranged from 1 out of every 100,000 to 5.1 out of every 100,000 in the general population; but updated epidemiologic research conducted in 2006 suggests that up to 12% of women may have early symptoms of IC.

Is interstitial cystitis triggered by stress?

Stress does not cause IC, but if you have IC, stress can cause a flare. Physical stress and mental stress can lead to flares. Remember, every flare will settle down and worrying about it only prolongs the discomfort. Understanding stress and how to minimize it is the best way to limit the intensity of your flares.

How often do you pee with interstitial cystitis?

If you have interstitial cystitis, you'll receive the message to pee much more frequently, sometimes up to 60 times in a day, and the process of holding and releasing urine becomes very painful. For women, the pain in the pelvic region can increase in severity during the menstrual cycle.

Does drinking water help interstitial cystitis?

Water is the best thing for your body, especially for those of us with IC. The spasms and other symptoms will eventually calm down after you flush your bladder. Drink chamomile or peppermint hot teas. They both have soothing effects on the bladder.

What foods soothe interstitial cystitis?

Foods to eat

Fruits: bananas, apricots, blueberries, dates, melons, prunes, pears, raisins. Vegetables: avocados, asparagus, broccoli, beets, eggplant, peas, mushrooms, spinach. Grains: oats, rice. Proteins: beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, eggs.

Can interstitial cystitis be detected in urine?

Findings on urinalysis may be entirely normal or may show microscopic hematuria or pyuria. Urine culture results are usually sterile. However, patients with interstitial cystitis may also have a concurrent bladder infection.

At what age does interstitial cystitis start?

Symptoms begin before age 30 in most but an IC diagnosis is often not made until age 40. Genetics appear to play a significant role. It is important to consider these facts when evaluating women with "early IC" because correct diagnosis will result in proper therapy and reduced health care costs.

What kind of doctor do you see for interstitial cystitis?

A urologist is a doctor specializing in bladder diseases. Some gynecologists and urogynecologists (women's health doctors) also treat people with IC/BPS. Look for a doctor who has experience taking care of people with IC/BPS.

What makes interstitial cystitis worse?

Coffee, soda, caffeinated beverages, tomatoes, spicy foods, high-acid foods, citrus, and MSG can all trigger IC symptoms. If you have a flare, journal what you ate prior to it. This will help you identify foods that could be causing your IC flares and allow you to avoid these in the future.