Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a long-term condition where the bladder wall can become irritated and inflamed. Women with IC typically complain of pain or pressure in the pelvic area, pain during or after sex, and frequent, sometimes painful, urination. Some or all of these symptoms may come and go at different times. In addition, women with IC are typically diagnosed with more than 2 urinary tract infections a year.

You may suspect IC if:

• You feel unexplained pain or pressure in the pelvic area
• You feel pain during or after sexual intercourse
• You have frequent, sometimes painful, urination (Normally, people urinate an average of 6 to 7 times per day. Patients with IC urinate an average of 16 times per day, and some urinate as often as 60 times per day.)
• You wake more at night to urinate
• You may feel the urge to urinate, sometimes even after you've emptied your bladder
• You have symptoms like a urinary tract infection (UTI) or are diagnosed with more than 2 UTIs per year
• Your symptoms come and go—flare-ups may be associated with menstruation, certain foods, allergies, and stress

In addition to looking at these symptoms, it can be important to:

• Test for bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs), other urological disorders, tumors, and sexually transmitted diseases for some patients

Talk to your healthcare professional if you have any of these symptoms.

The exact number of people with IC is unknown. The majority of people diagnosed with IC are women, although men can also develop IC. Recent studies show that IC occurs more often in men than was previously recognized. Approximately 25% of patients are under 30 years old when they first develop symptoms. The average age at diagnosis is 44. Interstitial cystitis may also affect children.

The exact cause, or causes, of IC is unknown. There are several theories. Some evidence points to irritating substances in the urine or damage to nerve cells along the bladder wall. Other evidence suggests that IC is caused by the body's own natural defense system turning on itself. Chronic pain in the bladder may also be aggravated by allergies. In some women, symptoms may get worse when certain foods are eaten. Many experts believe that the protective mucous layer that lines the inside of the bladder has become thinned or is absent. This condition allows irritating substances in the urine to aggravate the bladder wall.

Probably not. Even without treatment, IC tends to go in cycles when it is better, worse, and then better again. Today, there are several treatments and medications you can try. Using these, some people with IC may eventually become symptom-free. Others may experience a great deal of improvement. There are few people who cannot be helped at all.

Interstitial cystitis has many of the same symptoms as other gynecologic conditions. The symptoms of IC may come from various locations throughout the pelvis, including the urethra, the vagina, the area above the pubic bone, the inside of the thighs, the lower abdomen, the lower back, or the groin area, in any combination. These different pain locations can often make correct diagnosis more difficult. Other conditions that can produce the same or similar symptoms include endometriosis, urinary tract infection (though most people with IC have negative urine cultures), or vaginal infection.

The Self-Test on this site can be used to screen patients for IC. The questionnaire helps patients and their doctors discuss specific questions about a patient's symptoms. A thorough discussion is a valuable part of making an early diagnosis.

If your doctor diagnoses you with IC, your treatment regimen may consist of a variety of interventions, including prescription medications. Other therapies may include bladder analgesics and solutions to fill the bladder. Success with all of these interventions varies. Some women eventually become symptom-free. Other women experience varying degrees of improvement. Only a small number of patients have little or no response to available treatments. Without treatment, many women experience flare-ups and remissions, often recurring and possibly related to hormonal fluctuations.

Many people with IC have found success with other options during their treatment. These include:

• Relaxation and breathing techniques
• Bladder retraining
• Nutrition
• Gentle exercise
• Pelvic floor therapies

Comfort measures.
Some people find that a warm compress or heating pad on the lower abdomen helps. Others find that a cold pack may help. Some patients alternate with hot and cold compresses. For pain in the external genitalia, a bath in warm water with baking soda may be soothing.

Changing your diet.
Changing your diet may help, so watch what you eat. Some people will experience flare-ups of their IC as long as 3 days after they have eaten certain foods, which include:

• Foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as chocolate, coffee, tea, and colas
• Fermented foods and drinks, including cheeses and alcohol
• Aged, canned, cured, processed, and smoked meats and fish; anchovies; caviar; chicken livers; corned beef; and meats that contain nitrates or nitrites
• Fava beans, lima beans, onions, rhubarb, and tofu
• Rye and sourdough breads
• Most nuts except for almonds, cashews, and pine nuts
• Spicy foods (especially Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and Thai foods)
• Acidic items such as oranges, tomatoes, and cranberry juice
• Foods and drinks containing artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (NutraSweet®) or saccharin
• Preservatives such as citric acid and monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Keeping track of your diet.
Your food reactions, if you have any, will probably be unique. That is, you may be sensitive to foods that other people are not. To help avoid flare-ups, mark down what you ate over the last 3 days. It may be useful to keep a "bad days food list" so you can see what foods repeatedly give you trouble.

The Symptom Journal. The Symptom Journal is a place where you can keep track of the certain symptoms you experience and how severe those symptoms are. This information can make it easier to communicate with your healthcare professional. You will be able to keep track of how often you urinate, your level of pain, and your diet. Use the journal for a week. Your daily entries can help your healthcare professional determine whether or not you may have interstitial cystitis (IC). And, you will be able to determine if and what foods cause you discomfort so that you can avoid them.

What not to do. Because the symptoms of IC are like those of bladder infections, helpful friends may suggest the same treatments that worked when they had a bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). Unless your urine test is positive for bacteria, simple home remedies (such as cranberry juice or various herbs) for UTIs may actually make your condition worse.

†NutraSweet is a registered trademark of The NutraSweet Company.

Since IC may cause you to wake up often throughout the night to urinate, you may rarely get a good night's sleep. It's also common for people to feel depressed.

No. IC is not contagious. No one passed IC on to you, and you can't pass it on to anyone else.

There is no evidence that IC is related to cancer.

When sex hurts, relationships may suffer. Even an understanding partner may become frustrated. Therefore, you may wish to speak with your doctor about pain you experience during sex. Here are some measures to discuss with your healthcare professional to see if they are right for you:

• Wash with a warm rinse after sex
• Use a plentiful amount of lubrication (such as K-Y® Brand Liquid or Jelly)
• Use a soothing gel or ice pack on the external genitalia

K-Y Brand Liquid or Jelly is a registered trademark of Personal Products Company, a Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc.

There are a number of support groups around the country where you can talk to other people with IC and share concerns, information, and success stories. Your doctor may be able to put you in touch with a support group near you.

There are other sources of information, too:

Interstitial Cystitis Network
Phone: 1-707-538-9442
Web site: www.ic-network.com

Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA)
Phone: 1-800-HELP-ICA (1-800-435-7422)
Web site: www.ichelp.com

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a long-term condition where the bladder wall can become irritated and inflamed. Men with IC typically feel the urge to urinate frequently, have pain that is decreased by urinating, and often wake up in the middle of the night to urinate. These symptoms may come and go, and can occur all at once or each at different times.

You may suspect IC if:

• You feel unexplained pain and pressure in your penis, testes, and/or scrotum; the area above the pubic bone, the lower abdomen, the lower back, or the groin area including testicular pain, in any combination
• You have pain when you ejaculate
• You have frequent, sometimes painful, urination (Normally, people urinate an average of 6 to 7 times per day. Patients urinate an average of 16 times per day, and some urinate as often as 60 times per day.)
• You wake at night to urinate
• You may feel the urge to urinate, sometimes even after you've emptied your bladder
• Your symptoms come and go—flare-ups may be associated with certain foods, allergies, and stress

In addition to looking at these symptoms, it can be important to:

• Test for bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs), other urological disorders, tumors, and sexually transmitted diseases for some patients

Talk to your healthcare professional if you have any of these symptoms.

The exact number of people with IC is unknown. Although the majority of people diagnosed with IC are women, men can also develop IC. Recent studies show that IC occurs more often in men than was previously recognized.

The exact cause, or causes, of IC is unknown. There are several theories. Some evidence points to irritating substances in the urine or damage to nerve cells on the bladder wall. Other evidence suggests that IC is caused by the body's own natural defense system turning on itself. IC may also be aggravated by allergies. In some men, symptoms may get worse when certain foods are eaten. Many experts believe that the protective mucous layer that lines the inside of the bladder has become thinned or is absent. This condition allows irritating substances in the urine to aggravate the bladder wall.

Probably not. Even without treatment, IC tends to go in cycles when it is better, worse, and then better again. Today, there are several treatments and medications you can try. Using these, some people with IC may eventually become symptom-free. Others may experience a great deal of improvement. There are few people who cannot be helped at all.

Yes, it can often resemble or imitate other urologic conditions. IC pain may come from various locations throughout the pelvis, including the penis, testes, and/or scrotum; the area above the pubic bone, the lower abdomen, the lower back, and the groin area, in any combination. These different pain locations can complicate the diagnosis. IC may be labeled recurrent urinary tract infection, "urgency-frequency" syndrome, or "urethral syndrome," though most people with IC have negative urine cultures. Men who may have IC are sometimes identified as having chronic nonbacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), or epididymitis. In some patients, a diagnosis cannot be determined.

The symptoms of nonbacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia are very similar to those of IC. These symptoms may include irritation of the urethra upon urinating; pain in the bladder, prostate, or genitals; and painful ejaculation. Many men with the symptoms of nonbacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia can have the same clinical appearance as those with IC. Men who have pelvic pain with or without urinary symptoms and who do not respond to treatment should ask their doctor about IC.

The Self-Test on this site can be used to screen patients for IC. The questionnaire helps patients and their doctors discuss specific questions about a patient's symptoms. A thorough discussion is a valuable part of making an early diagnosis.

If your doctor diagnoses you with IC, your treatment regimen may consist of a variety of interventions, including prescription medications. Other therapies may include bladder analgesics and solutions to fill the bladder. Success with all of these interventions varies. Some men eventually become symptom-free. Other men experience varying degrees of improvement. Only a small number of patients have little or no response to available treatments. Without treatment, many men experience flare-ups and remissions.

Many people with IC have found success with other options during their treatment. These include:

• Relaxation and breathing techniques
• Bladder retraining
• Nutrition
• Gentle exercise
• Pelvic floor therapies

Comfort measures.
Some people find that a warm compress or heating pad on the lower abdomen helps. Others find that a cold pack may help. Some patients alternate with hot and cold compresses. For pain in the external genitalia, a bath in warm water with baking soda may be soothing.

Changing your diet.
Changing your diet may help, so watch what you eat. Some people will experience flare-ups of their IC as long as 3 days after they have eaten certain foods, which include:

• Foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as chocolate, coffee, tea, and colas
• Fermented foods and drinks, including cheeses and alcohol
• Aged, canned, cured, processed, and smoked meats and fish; anchovies; caviar; chicken livers; corned beef; and meats that contain nitrates or nitrites
• Fava beans, lima beans, onions, rhubarb, and tofu
• Rye and sourdough breads
• Most nuts except for almonds, cashews, and pine nuts
• Spicy foods (especially Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and Thai foods)
• Acidic items such as oranges, tomatoes, and cranberry juice
• Foods and drinks containing artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (NutraSweet®) or saccharin
• Preservatives such as citric acid and monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Keeping track of your diet.
Your food reactions, if you have any, will probably be unique. That is, you may be sensitive to foods that other people are not. To help avoid flare-ups, mark down what you ate over the last 3 days. It may be useful to keep a "bad days food list" so you can see what foods repeatedly give you trouble.

The Symptom Journal. The Symptom Journal is a place where you can keep track of the certain symptoms you experience and how severe those symptoms are. This information can make it easier to communicate with your healthcare professional. You will be able to keep track of how often you urinate, your level of pain, and your diet. Use the journal for a week. Your daily entries can help your healthcare professional determine whether or not you may have Interstitial cystitis (IC). And, you will be able to determine if and what foods cause you discomfort so that you can avoid them.

What not to do. Because the symptoms of IC are like those of bladder infections, helpful friends may suggest the same treatments that worked when they had a bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). Unless your urine test is positive for bacteria, simple home remedies (such as cranberry juice or various herbs) for UTIs may actually make your condition worse.

†NutraSweet is a registered trademark of The NutraSweet Company.

Since IC may cause you to wake up often throughout the night to urinate, you may rarely get a good night's sleep. It's also common for people to feel depressed.

No. IC is not contagious. No one passed IC on to you, and you can't pass it on to anyone else.

There is no evidence that IC is related to cancer.

When sex hurts, relationships may suffer. Even an understanding partner may become frustrated. Therefore, you may wish to speak with your doctor about pain you experience during sex. Here are some measures to discuss with your healthcare professional to see if they are right for you:

• Wash with a warm rinse after sex
• Use a soothing gel or ice pack on the external genitalia

There are a number of support groups around the country where you can talk to other people with IC and share concerns, information, and success stories. Your doctor may be able to put you in touch with a support group near you.

There are other sources of information, too:

Interstitial Cystitis Network
Phone: 1-707-538-9442
Web site: www.ic-network.com

Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA)
Phone: 1-800-HELP-ICA (1-800-435-7422)
Web site: www.ichelp.com