Interstitial Cystitis Quiz

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Frequent urination

Abdominal pain

Sudden urge to urinate

Bladder inflammation symptoms

Lower left abdominal pain

Lower right abdominal pain

Sense of incomplete bladder emptying

Painful urination

Bladder pain

Frequent urination at night

Dysuria

Feeling of heaviness in pelvic area

Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!

What is Interstitial Cystitis?

Inflammation of the bladder's muscle layers. The exact cause is unclear so other treatable possible causes like infection need to be ruled out. Since the condition can last for a long time, coping strategies are important.

Typical Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis

Diagnostic Questions for Interstitial Cystitis

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:

  • Have you experienced burning or painful urination along with a decrease in urine volume?
  • Are you experiencing pain or burning when you urinate?
  • Do you have frequent stomach or abdominal pain with unknown causes?
  • Do you often need to urinate again within 2 hours after last going?
  • Do you have pain when holding urine that goes away by passing urine?

Treatment of Interstitial Cystitis

There are many treatment options available, so discussing with your primary care provider and a specialist is important. Simple measures like physical therapy and painkiller pills may help. Other treatment options include electrical stimulation procedures to improve blood flow to the bladder, or filling the bladder to stretch it and relieve symptoms. In severe cases that do not respond to the above, surgery can be considered.

Reviewed By:

Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc

Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)

Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.

Nao Saito, MD

Nao Saito, MD (Urology)

After graduating from Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Dr. Saito worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Toda Chuo General Hospital, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, and Ako Chuo Hospital before becoming Deputy Director (current position) at Takasaki Tower Clinic Department of Ophthalmology and Urology in April 2020.

From our team of 50+ doctors

Content updated on Nov 22, 2024

Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy

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Symptoms Related to Interstitial Cystitis

Diseases Related to Interstitial Cystitis

FAQs

Q.

Chronic UTI? Why Your Bladder Fails & Medically Approved Methenamine Next Steps

A.

Recurrent UTIs usually happen because bacteria persist in the bladder, the urinary and vaginal microbiome shifts, bladder emptying is incomplete, or there are structural or medical contributors, so infections should be culture confirmed and conditions like interstitial cystitis ruled out first. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Methenamine is a medically approved non-antibiotic preventive that works in acidic urine and can be as effective as daily antibiotics with less resistance, but it is for prevention only and not appropriate for people with severe kidney or liver disease or for active kidney infections. See below for who is a good candidate, how to use it correctly, key alternatives like vaginal estrogen and targeted antibiotics, and red flags that require urgent care.

References:

* Ali, A., et al. Chronic and recurrent urinary tract infections: a review of current therapeutic strategies and future prospects. Microorganisms. 2021 Feb 2;9(2):299. PMID: 33535515.

* Chellini M, Lisi G, Lenci F, et al. Chronic bacterial cystitis: the impact on bladder function. Front Pharmacol. 2018 Dec 11;9:1435. PMID: 30588147.

* Wagenlehner FME, et al. Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Adults and Children: An Overview. Eur Urol Focus. 2020 Jul;6(4):618-629. PMID: 31331776.

* Lo E, et al. Methenamine Hippurate for Preventing Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 May 22;72(10):1825-1834. PMID: 32959664.

* Härkönen S, Viita-Aho T, Niinivirta M, et al. Methenamine Hippurate for the Prophylaxis of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Eur Urol. 2021 Oct;80(4):460-471. PMID: 34140224.

See more on Doctor's Note

Q.

Constant Bladder Pain? Why It’s Interstitial Cystitis & Relief Steps

A.

Constant bladder pain with pressure, urgency, and frequency despite negative UTI tests often points to interstitial cystitis, a chronic but manageable condition diagnosed by ruling out other causes. Relief usually comes from a stepwise plan that may include identifying diet triggers, pelvic floor physical therapy, medications, bladder training, and select advanced therapies, while urgent signs like fever, blood in urine, or severe back pain need prompt care. There are several factors to consider for next steps; see the complete guidance below.

References:

* Aljazi A, Vahabi B. Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: An Overview and Update. Urol Clin North Am. 2022 Aug;49(3):365-374. doi: 10.1016/j.ucl.2022.03.003. Epub 2022 Apr 21. PMID: 35921474.

* Clemens JQ, Erickson DR, Sakamoto H, Khan A. American Urological Association Guideline: Diagnosis and Treatment of Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (2020). J Urol. 2020 Nov;204(5):981-988. doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000001488. Epub 2020 Sep 17. PMID: 32950586.

* Wankhar W, Kumar R, Verma R. Current Perspectives on the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome. J Clin Med. 2023 Sep 8;12(18):5838. doi: 10.3390/jcm12185838. PMID: 37699741; PMCID: PMC10534241.

* Mamedov R, Zang M, Hanley JS, Pevzner M, Lantsberg D, Dmochowski RR, Goldman HB. Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: Current Management Strategies. Curr Urol Rep. 2024 Apr;25(4):119-125. doi: 10.1007/s11934-024-01202-7. Epub 2024 Feb 10. PMID: 38343753.

* Taneichi A, Igarashi T, Okumura M, Aoyagi T, Takai S, Ouchi H, Kato M, Yokoyama O, Akiyama Y, Ishizuka O. Clinical diagnosis of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: an expert consensus. Int J Urol. 2022 Dec;29(12):1273-1282. doi: 10.1111/iju.15000. Epub 2022 Nov 15. PMID: 36380625; PMCID: PMC10091392.

See more on Doctor's Note

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Emergency Medicine

Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha Wisconsin, USA

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Caroline M. Doan, DO

Internal Medicine

Signify Health

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Benjamin Kummer, MD

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Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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Dale Mueller, MD

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Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates

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Ravi P. Chokshi, MD

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Penn State Health

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Link to full study:

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1

References