Interstitial Cystitis: Bladder Pain Without a Known Cause

Interstitial cystitis (IC) causes discomfort or pain in the bladder and a need to urinate frequently and urgently. It is far more common in women than in men.

Symptoms vary

• Some people have pain without urgency or frequency.
• Others have urgency and frequency without pain.
• Women's symptoms often worsen during their periods, and sex may be painful.

Cause and diagnosis

The cause is unknown. There is no single test for IC; doctors often run tests to rule out other causes of the symptoms.

Treatment

There is no cure, but treatments help most people feel better:

• distending (inflating) the bladder;
• bathing the inside of the bladder with a drug solution;
• oral medicines;
• electrical nerve stimulation;
• physical therapy;
• lifestyle changes and bladder training;
• in rare cases, surgery.

Sources

Based on "Interstitial Cystitis," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; a work of the United States government in the public domain.