Bridge To Wellness

Interstitial cystitis (IC), also known as painful bladder syndrome or bladder pain syndrome, is a condition that results in recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. The symptoms can vary greatly between individuals and even for the same person throughout the month, including an urgent need to urinate (urgency), a frequent need to urinate (frequency) and, for some, pressure and/or pelvic pain. People with severe cases of IC/PBS may urinate as many as 60 times a day, including frequent nighttime urination (nocturia).

Pain levels can range from mild tenderness to intense, agonizing pain. Pain typically worsens as the bladder fills and is then relieved after urination. Pain may also radiate to the lower back, upper legs, vulva and penis. Women’s symptoms may fluctuate with their menstrual cycle, often flaring during ovulation and/or just before their periods. Men and women may experience discomfort during or after sexual relations. During flares, patients may also experience the “IC Belly,” a sudden and random swelling of the lower abdomen.

When an IC bladder is examined using a procedure called hydrodistention with cystoscopy, physicians often find small, bleeding wounds, also known as petechial hemorrhages or glomerulations. These are usually caused by recurring irritation, such as coffee or soda. About ten percent of patients may have larger, more painful wounds, called Hunner’s Ulcers. Some patients with mild IC may have bladders that appear normal during a cystoscopy. IC patients rarely test positive for infection in standard urinalysis and urine cultures (1,2).

In recent years, there has been much debate about renaming IC and suggestions have included painful bladder syndrome, bladder pain syndrome and pelvic pain syndrome. In the United States, we typically use the term interstitial cystitis (IC) or interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) though many believe that patients are being frequently misdiagnosed with overactive bladder and/or chronic prostatitis. In Europe, physicians appear to favor the term bladder pain syndrome (BPS). We urge you not to become invested in any specific name but rather focus on symptoms. If someone has frequency, urgency, pressure and/or pain, they clearly require medical care and should be treated with compassion.

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