It's easy to feel alone when you have symptoms that, at times, make living a normal life seem almost impossible. It may seem that no one really understands what you are going through. Some people may even try to tell you that your symptoms are imagined or not as serious as you describe.
Millions of men and women in the United States suffer from pain in the pelvic area that lasts 6 months or longer. If you are one of them, you know that chronic pelvic pain can be debilitating, frustrating, and unpredictable. The pain can be constant or it may come and go. Some women notice an increase of pain before the start of a menstrual period.
What causes chronic pelvic pain is often hard to identify. In women, healthcare professionals most often look for a problem in the reproductive organs; however, the true source of pain may be a treatable but painful bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis (IC).
Interstitial cystitis is most commonly diagnosed in women, but IC is being recognized in more and more men. This condition can affect people of any age, race or sex. Approximately 25% of female patients are under 30 years old when they first develop symptoms. The average age at diagnosis is 44.
Whether your symptoms are caused by IC or another condition, don't give up hope. Focus your energies on getting a correct diagnosis and finding effective treatment.
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