do i have interstitial cystitis quiz

Interstitial Cystitis & Recurrent Bladder Infections

Interstitial cystitis (IC), also known as painful bladder syndrome, is a chronic condition that causes recurring pain in your bladder and pelvic area. Many people with IC also experience urinary urgency, pelvic pain and pressure, frequent urination and urinary tract infections.

While there’s no cure for IC, treatments can help reduce symptoms and make life easier to live. Here are answers to common questions about interstitial cystitis.

What is Interstitial Cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition that causes painful bladder syndrome. It’s also known as painful bladder syndrome, or IC/PBS for short.

Interstitial cystitis can cause inflammation and irritation in the lining of your bladder (the organ that stores urine). This can lead to frequent urination, pain or discomfort when you urinate, pelvic pain and pressure, blood in your urine or the feeling that you need to pee even when there’s nothing left in your bladder.

If you have …

Travel Tips

Keeping Track Of The Interstitial Cystitis Symptoms

June 9, 2023August 29, 2023 - by Mark Donald

Interstitial cystitis, or IC for short, is a chronic bladder condition that causes the bladder to swell and become painful. The symptoms of interstitial cystitis can be very painful and distressing. They include:

The five stages of interstitial cystitis

The five stages of interstitial cystitis are as follows:

Stage 1: Unsuspected bladder pain. The first stage is characterized by mild to moderate symptoms, which may be dismissed or ignored. Individuals may experience painful episodes in the absence of any other symptoms or known cause for their discomfort.
Stage 2: Painful episodes. In this second stage, you’re likely to notice that your bladder pain gets worse over time and begins occurring more frequently–or even constantly–as well as interfering with your daily life and activities (such as work).
Stage 3: Frequent episodes, or constant pain. At this point in the progression of IC, you’ll probably be experiencing many painful episodes each week

Travel Tips

How I Cured My Interstitial Cystitis

May 8, 2023August 28, 2023 - by Mark Donald

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition that causes painful urination, bladder spasms and pelvic pain. It affects between 75,000 and 300,000 people in the United States alone, according to the National Institutes of Health. The cause of interstitial cystitis isn’t known, but some research has found that bacteria or viruses could be responsible for triggering an immune system response in patients who have weak immune systems (which can make you more prone to developing IC). If your health care provider suspects you might have interstitial cystitis, he or she will likely perform a urine test first to rule out other causes of bladder pain (such as bacterial vaginosis). If everything checks out okay with your pee sample and you still feel like your bladder hurts even after taking antibiotics for 10 days… keep reading!

My doctor told me there was no cure.

When I was first diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, …