Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis: Introduction

Interstitial cystitis is an odd disease that is difficult to diagnose. It causes pain and irritation to the bladder and pelvic area, and thereby causes various urination symptoms. Its cause is unclear, but may be autoimmune, or perhaps only some cases are autoimmune. Diagnosis of IC is often by ruling out all other possible causes of bladder symptoms. Confirmation of a diagnosis is difficult, and the most compelling evidence for diagnosis is often from surgery and biopsy, rather than any specific urine or blood tests.

Symptoms of Interstitial cystitis

• Urinary urgency
• Urinary frequency
• Pelvic pain
• Bladder pain
• Mild bladder discomfort
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 25 symptoms of Interstitial cystitis

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Interstitial cystitis:

• Bladder & Urinary Health: Home Testing:
  • Home Bladder Testing
  • Home Urinary Tract Infection Tests
  • Home Cystitis Tests
  • Home Kidney Tests
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney Function)
  • Home Prostate Cancer Tests
• Menopause: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Menopause Tests
  • Home FSH Hormone Tests
  • Home Osteoporosis Testing
• Vaginal Health: Home Testing:
  • Home Vaginal Infection Tests
  • Home Vaginal PH Tests
  • Home Yeast Infection Tests
  • Home Candida Kits
  • Home Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Test Kits
  • Home Bladder Test Kits
• Breast Cancer: Related Home Tests:
  • Home Breast Cancer Test Kits
  • Home Breast Lump Detection
• more tests...»

Interstitial cystitis: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Interstitial cystitis:

• Hardened bladder wall (see Bladder symptoms)
• Hunner's ulcers
• Glomerulations
• Scarring of bladder lining
• more complications...»

Medical Textbooks Online about Interstitial cystitis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Interstitial cystitis

• Urinalysis
• Urine culture
• Cystoscopy
• Bladder wall biopsy
• Urine cytology
• more tests...»

See full list of 10 diagnostic tests for Interstitial cystitis

Wrongly Diagnosed with Interstitial cystitis?

• Misdiagnosis of Interstitial cystitis
• Failure to diagnose Interstitial cystitis
• Hidden causes of Interstitial cystitis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Undiagnosed: Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis: Medical Mistakes

• Women's Health Mistakes:
  • Womens Health -- Health Mistakes
  • Contraception -- Health Mistakes
  • Fertility -- Health Mistakes
• more mistakes...»

Interstitial cystitis: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available for Interstitial cystitis:

• Mom & Baby
• Pregnancy
• Womens Health
• Bladder
• more product offers...»

Interstitial cystitis: Undiagnosed Conditions

Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:

• Women's Reproductive Health: diseases that are commonly undiagnosed:
  • Overactive Bladder Syndrome -- Undiagnosed
  • PCOS -- Undiagnosed
  • Chlamydia -- Undiagnosed
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Cervical Cancer -- Undiagnosed
  • Breast Cancer -- Undiagnosed
  • Ovarian Cancer -- Undiagnosed
  • Von Willebrand Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • more ...»
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Misdiagnosis and Interstitial cystitis

Rare type of breast cancer without a lump: There is a less common form of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer. Its symptoms can be an inflammation of the breast tissue, such as with a ...read more »

Interstitial cystitis an under-diagnosed bladder condition: The medical condition of interstitial cystitic is a bladder condition that can be misdiagnosed as various conditions such as overactive bladder or other ...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research related physicians and medical specialists:

• Pregnancy & Fertility Health Specialists:
  • Maternal & Fetal Medicine
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility
  • Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
• Womens Health Specialists:
  • Gynecological Oncology
• Urinary & Bladder Specialists (Urology):
  • Urology (Urinary Specialists)
  • Urological Surgery (Urinary Surgeons)
  • Kidney Doctors (Nephrologists) -- State Directory
• Kidney Health Specialists (Nephrology):
  • Nephrology (Kidney Health)
  • Pediatric Nephrology (Child Kidney Health)
  • Urology (Urinary/Bladder)
  • Kidney Doctors (Nephrologists) -- Local Directory
• more specialists...»

Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:

• Rate Your Doctor Online
• Research Your Doctor Online
• Review Patient Surveys About Your Doctor
• Research local specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Hospitals & Clinics: Interstitial cystitis

Research quality ratings and patient safety measures for medical facilities in specialties related to Interstitial cystitis:

• Womens Health -- Hospital Quality Ratings
• more hospital ratings...»

Hospital & Clinic quality ratings » »

Choosing the Best Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Interstitial cystitis, on hospital performance and surgical care quality:

• 50 Best Hospitals Report
• Outstanding Patient Experinece Award Winning Hospitals
• Women's Health Best Hospitals
• Patient Safety
• Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence Study (2009)

Interstitial cystitis: Rare Types

Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:

• Women's Reproductive Health -- rare types of diseases:
  • Overactive Bladder Syndrome -- Rare Types
  • PCOS -- Rare Types
  • Chlamydia -- Rare Types
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease -- Rare Types
  • Cervical Cancer -- Rare Types
  • Breast Cancer -- Rare Types
  • Ovarian Cancer -- Rare Types
  • Von Willebrand Disease -- Rare Types
  • more ...»
• more rare diseases...»

Causes of Interstitial cystitis

• Bladder inflammation from radiation therapy
• Unknown etiology
• Unknown aetiology
• more causes...»

Read more about causes of Interstitial cystitis

More information about causes of Interstitial cystitis:

• Underlying causes of Interstitial cystitis

Treatments for Interstitial cystitis

• Diet changes
  • Avoid alcohol
  • Avoid tomatoes
  • Avoid spices
  • Avoid chocolate
• more treatments...»

See full list of 30 treatments for Interstitial cystitis

Latest Treatments for Interstitial cystitis

• Antihistamines
• Ceftirizine
• Diphenhydramine
• Fexofenadine
• Hydroxyzine hydrochloride
• more treatments...»

See full list of 11 latest treatments for Interstitial cystitis

Evidence Based Medicine Research for Interstitial cystitis

Medical research articles related to Interstitial cystitis include:

• Chronic Pelvic Pain
• A systematic review of the clinical and cost effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) use in adults
• In a patient with previous TIA, retinal vein occlusion and chronic interstitial cystitis who cannot tolerate aspirin or clopidogrel, should we consider an alternative antiplatelet agent? What are the options?
• Intravesical treatments for painful bladder syndrome/ interstitial cystitis
• Laxity Disorders, Incontinence and Female Sexuality
• more research...»

Click here to find more evidence-based articles on the TRIP Database

Videos for Interstitial cystitis

Patient Surveys for Interstitial cystitis

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Interstitial cystitis
  Take Survey  View Results

Reseach about Interstitial cystitis

Visit our research pages for current research about Interstitial cystitis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Interstitial cystitis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Interstitial cystitis include:

• Events Preceding Interstitial Cystitis (EPIC) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Phase I/II Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of Capsaicin for Interstitial Cystitis and Vulvar Vestibulitis - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - capsaicin
• Interstitial Cystitis - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Efficacy of Amitriptyline for Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS) - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Amitriptyline
• URACYST For the Treatment of GAG Deficient Interstitial Cystitis - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• more trials...»

See full list of 19 Clinical Trials for Interstitial cystitis

Statistics for Interstitial cystitis

• Medical statistics for Interstitial cystitis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Interstitial cystitis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Interstitial cystitis
• Society statistics for Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis: Broader Related Topics

• Bladder conditions
• Possibly autoimmune diseases
• Urinary disorders
• more types...»

Types of Interstitial cystitis

Types of Interstitial cystitis

• Ulcerative Interstitial Cystitis
• Nonulcerative Interstitial Cystitis
• Autoimmune Interstitial Cystitis
• more types...»

Read more about Types of Interstitial cystitis

Rare Types of Interstitial cystitis:

Rare types of Interstitial cystitis include:

• Ulcerative interstitial cystitis (Classic)
• Nonulcerative interstitial cystitis
• more types...»

Stories from Users Related to Interstitial cystitis

• ICE Syndrome
• "ice Pick" Headaches
• I have extreme anxiety. Paranoind about cancer due to possible interstitial cystitis
• Need info on IC...
• Cystitis
• slipping on ice
• Constant UTI's/Endometriosis/possible IC
• Could Interstitial cystitis be detected by a cystascope?
• Could Interstitial cystitis be detected by a cystascope?
• Ice pick headaches
• ice syndrome
• Ice Chewers!!! Read This!!!
• Is this cystitis?
• IC
• Prostatitis, Cystitis or none of these?
• Ice Pick Headaches
• Cystitis??

Related forums and medical stories:

• Urinary Conditions (148)
  • Constant UTI's
  • UTI won't go away!
  • Symptoms of UTI but no 'infection'
  • urine with a strange odor
  • Frequent Peeing at night
  • More user stories

User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Interstitial cystitis, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial Cystitis: NIDDK (Excerpt)

Interstitial cystitis (IC), one of the chronic pelvic pain disorders, is a condition resulting in recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. (Source: excerpt from Interstitial Cystitis: NIDDK)

Your Urinary System and How It Works: NIDDK (Excerpt)

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder disorder also known as painful bladder syndrome and frequency-urgency-dysuria syndrome. In this disorder, the bladder wall can become inflamed and irritated. The inflammation can lead to scarring and stiffening of the bladder, decreased bladder capacity, pinpoint bleeding, and, in rare cases, ulcers in the bladder lining. The cause of IC is unknown at this time. (Source: excerpt from Your Urinary System and How It Works: NIDDK)

Interstitial Cystitis (Bladder disorder): NWHIC (Excerpt)

Interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome and frequency-urgency-dysuria syndrome, is a complex, chronic disorder that has baffled doctors for as long as it has been recognized." "People with interstitial cystitis (IC) have an inflamed, or irritated, bladder wall. This inflammation can lead to scarring and stiffening of the bladder, decreased bladder capacity, glomerulations (pinpoint bleeding) and, in rare cases, ulcers in the bladder lining." (Source: excerpt from Interstitial Cystitis (Bladder disorder): NWHIC)

Definitions of Interstitial cystitis:

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Interstitial cystitis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet