Interstitial Cystitis

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Medical Author:

George Lazarou, MD, FACOG

Coauthor:

Shehnaz Shaikh, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Interstitial Cystitis Overview
• Interstitial Cystitis Causes
• Interstitial Cystitis Symptoms
• Exams and Tests
• Interstitial Cystitis Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Surgery
• Medications
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Interstitial Cystitis Overview

Inflammation is a protective reaction of the body tissue to irritation, injury, or infection. Inflammation of the bladder is called cystitis. When the inflammation is caused by bacterial infection, it is referred to as bacterial cystitis or just cystitis. Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that causes pain and inflammation in the bladder when no infection is found. (Other causes of noninfectious inflammation of the bladder are also possible.)

Inflammation of the bladder causes urinary frequency (frequent need to urinate), urgency (urgent need to urinate), pelvic pain, painful urination, incontinence, and nocturia (frequent need to urinate at night).

Long-term inflammation of the bladder in people with IC can lead to scarring and stiffening of the bladder wall, which causes a decrease in the bladder capacity. Pinpoint areas of bleeding, called glomerulations, may occur in the lining of the bladder wall. IC is believed to be a spectrum of disease initially presenting with mild symptoms and progressing to severe urgency and pelvic pain.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), IC affects about 700,000 people in the United States, and 90% of IC patients are women. It is believed that IC is a much more prevalent disease and that many patients have early forms of IC with a delayed diagnosis. The average age of onset of IC is 40 years.