Interstitial Cystitis Case Studies

Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the bladder. The bladder is a hollow organ in the lower part of your abdomen. It stores urine after the urine is made by your kidneys. With interstitial cystitis, you may have pain in the bladder area. You may also have a frequent and urgent need to urinate.
The severity of interstitial cystitis can vary from person to person. You may have flare-ups of the condition, and then it may go away for a while. For many people with this condition, it becomes a long-term problem.

CAUSES
The cause of interstitial cystitis is not known.

RISK FACTORS
This condition affects women more often than men.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of interstitial cystitis vary and

can change over time. Symptoms may include:
• Discomfort or pain in the bladder area. This can range from mild to severe. The pain may change in intensity as the bladder fills with urine or as it empties.
• Pelvic pain.
• An urgent need to urinate.
• Frequent urination.
• Pain during sexual intercourse.
• Pinpoint bleeding on the bladder wall.
For women, the symptoms often get worse during menstruation.

DIAGNOSIS
Your health care provider will diagnose this condition by evaluating your symptoms and ruling out other causes. A physical exam will be done. Various tests may be done to rule out other conditions. Common tests include:
• Urine tests.
• Cystoscopy. In this test, a tool that is like a very thin telescope is used to look into your bladder.
• Biopsy. This involves taking a sample of tissue from the bladder wall to be examined under a microscope.

TREATMENT
There is no cure for interstitial cystitis. Treatment will focus on controlling your symptoms. Work closely with your health care provider to find the treatments that will be most effective for you. Treatment options may include:
• Medicines to relieve pain and help reduce urinary frequency.
• Bladder training. This involves learning ways to control when you urinate, such as:
○ Urinating at scheduled times.
○ Training yourself to delay urination.
○ Doing exercises (Kegel exercises) to strengthen the muscles that control urine flow.
• Lifestyle changes, such as changing your diet or taking steps to control stress.
• Use of a device that provides electrical stimulation in order to reduce pain.
• A procedure in which the bladder is stretched by filling it with air or fluid.
• Surgery.

This is rare. It is only done for extreme cases if other treatments do not help.

HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS
• Take medicines only as directed by your health care provider.
• Use bladder training techniques as directed.
○ Keep a bladder diary to find out which foods, liquids, or activities make your symptoms worse.
○ Use your bladder diary to schedule bathroom trips. If you are away from home, plan to be near a bathroom when your schedule says you need one.
○ Make sure you urinate just before you leave the house and just before you go to bed.
• Do Kegel exercises as directed by your health care provider.
• Make dietary changes as directed by your health care provider. You may need to avoid spicy foods and foods that contain a high amount of potassium.
• Limit your drinking of beverages that stimulate urination. These include soda, coffee, and tea.
• Do not drink alcohol.
• Do not use any tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or electronic cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as directed by your health care provider. This is important.

SEEK MEDICAL CARE IF:
• Your symptoms do not get better after treatment.
• Your pain and discomfort are getting

worse.
• You have more frequent urges to urinate.
• You have a fever.

SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE IF:
• You are not able to control your bladder at all.