Overview
Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition causing bladder pressure, bladder pain, and a frequent need to urinate, without an infection being present. It can range from mild to severe and disproportionately affects women. Though there is no single cure, symptoms can often be managed to improve daily life.
Symptoms
- Persistent pelvic or bladder pain or pressure
- A frequent need to urinate, often in small amounts day and night
- Pain that worsens as the bladder fills and eases after urinating
- Discomfort during sex
- Symptom flare-ups triggered by certain foods, stress, or menstruation
Causes & risk factors
- Not fully understood and likely involves several factors
- A defect in the protective lining of the bladder
- Abnormal nerve signaling and heightened pain sensitivity
- Immune or inflammatory factors
- Often occurs alongside other chronic pain conditions
Treatment & self-care
Management is usually stepwise and individualized, beginning with diet adjustments, stress and bladder-training techniques, and pelvic floor therapy, and progressing to other options a clinician may offer when needed. Because symptoms overlap with infections and other conditions, a clinician will first rule those out. A urologist experienced in pelvic pain can build a long-term plan.
See a doctor urgently if
- You have ongoing bladder pain or urinary frequency without an infection
- Symptoms persist despite treatment for a suspected urinary tract infection
- Pelvic pain is interfering with sleep, work, or relationships
- You notice blood in the urine or fever, which point to other causes needing evaluation