An Overview of Interstitial Cystitis
Interstitial cystitis, also referred to as “painful bladder syndrome” or IC/PBC, is a condition that results in consistent and chronic discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. The disorder, more common in women than in men, represents varying degrees of symptoms that include pressure in the pelvic area, intense pain in the bladder, an urgent need to urinate and pain as the bladder fills with urine or as it empties. Many women will experience worse symptoms during menstruation and often will have pain during vaginal intercourse. The cause of interstitial cystitis is still relatively unknown, although research studies are showing a common substance in the urine among all IC/PBC patients. Currently, there is not a cure for this disorder. Certain treatments have shown to ease some or all of the symptoms for a number of patients, but unfortunately, they usually always recur.