Interstitial Cystitis

If you’ve recently noticed some pain and pressure in your bladder, it’s possible that you could be affected by this condition. Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition that develops over a lengthy period of time and can oftentimes be long-lasting. While it’s not yet known what causes this problem to occur in the first place, there are factors that might make you more susceptible to it.

Overall, this condition is much more prevalent among women than men. The symptoms associated with this condition are very similar to those of a urinary tract infection. However, there’s no actual infection with interstitial cystitis.

Primary Risk Factors

Among women who suffer from interstitial cystitis, it’s more common with women who are over the age of 30. If you have fair skin and red hair, you have a higher risk of developing interstitial cystitis. The same is true if you also currently suffer from some other type of chronic pain disorder like irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. There are also some additional factors that might be linked with this condition, which include certain allergies, infections, an autoimmune reaction, and hereditary traits.

Expected Symptoms

When considering the symptoms with interstitial cystitis, it’s important to understand that the severity of these symptoms can differ substantially. These symptoms can be practically constant or intermittent with periodical flares. It’s likely that you will experience at least some amount of pain when suffering from this condition, which will likely be centered around the area between your vagina and anus.

Many of the symptoms occur with urination. The discomfort and pain that you experience may worsen while the bladder is filling up and only alleviate when you urinate. If you frequently feel the need to urinate, it could be a sign of interstitial cystitis. The symptoms that you experience can be difficult to manage without treatment.

Treatment Options

The only way to have this condition treated is to first have it diagnosed, which commonly occurs with the application of such tools as a cystoscopy or potassium sensitivity testing. Before surgery is considered, you may be prescribed with pain relieving and anti-inflammatory medications to help with the reduction of your pain. It may take up to six months or more to experience some form of pain relief. In some cases, surgery may be an option if the other solutions have yet to provide relief. One common surgical option for interstitial cystitis is bladder augmentation.