One of the hallmarks of interstitial cystitis (IC) is a frequent urge to urinate, and when we say frequent, it could be up to 60 times per day. The other red flag is pelvic pain.
So, between constantly running to the bathroom and the discomfort, you can see why the estimated 3-8 million women and 1-4 million men in the United States who have IC want solutions.
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to interstitial cystitis, and Dr. Robert J. Cornell and our team cover both in this month’s blog post.
Let’s first review the symptoms that are commonly associated with interstitial cystitis. We’ve covered two — pelvic pain and urinary urgency — and we want to flesh these out a little.
The pelvic pain comes into play as your bladder fills and is typically relieved when you urinate. It’s rare that the pain is constant, and it’s usually tied around your bladder starting to fill. As well, women with IC often experience pain during intercourse and during their periods.
The pelvic pain can come and go, and you may experience no pelvic pain for weeks or months before another bout begins.
The frequency and urgency components can be equally as frustrating — you feel the need to pee far more often than you should and, as we mentioned earlier, people with IC can end up urinating up to 60 times per day (and night!). The amount you end up urinating can be very small if you’re peeing frequently.
The bad news for people with IC is that researchers have not been able to pinpoint a cause for the condition. We do know that women are more likely to develop IC than men.
We’ve also been able to connect IC to other conditions, such as:
Researchers have also found that IC tends to be triggered by certain factors, such as:
People have even reported that using certain types of toilet paper can trigger their IC.
Given that we don’t yet know the exact mechanism that leads to IC, there’s no cure. That said, you’re not without options, as Dr. Cornell and our team offer a wide range of management solutions for IC, which include:
If these less aggressive treatments don’t do the trick, we can explore a surgical solution in which Dr. Cornell implants an InterStim® device that regulates your sacral nerve, which is responsible for the function of your bladder.
We can also provide you with a list of lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your symptoms, such as avoiding caffeine and managing stress.
Since interstitial cystitis can be confused with other pelvic and bladder issues, the first step is to have us diagnose what’s behind your symptoms. To get started, please contact our office in Houston, Texas, to schedule an appointment.
