REST – If you've been in pain or discomfort for just thirty minutes, stop what you are doing, sit down, rest and use a heating pad for several minutes. Try to break the cycle of irritation and/or muscle tension before it worsens. HEAT – Heat can relax your muscles.
If you feel an IC flare coming on, start treating it as soon as possible. Try these strategies for relief. Increase water intake – Drinking more water may help curb the severity of your symptoms. Take medication – Your healthcare provider may prescribe medication when you have a flare.
In the early phase of IC the symptom flares are intermittent in most patients. Over time symptoms increase and pain cycles may appear and last for 3-14 days. When these cycles become more frequent and last longer they are likely to be referred to a specialist.
People with IC sometimes refer to an attack of bladder pain as a symptom flare. Some people may have pain without urgency or frequency. This pain may come from a spasm in the pelvic floor muscles, the group of muscles that is attached to your pelvic bones and supports your bladder, bowel, and uterus or prostate.
Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a chronic, debilitating bladder disease that results in poor quality of life with sleep dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and stress.
This usually isn't very painful unless you've been holding your pee for a prolonged period of time. If you have interstitial cystitis, you'll receive the message to pee much more frequently, sometimes up to 60 times in a day, and the process of holding and releasing urine becomes very painful.
The exact cause of interstitial cystitis isn't known, but it's likely that many factors contribute. For instance, people with interstitial cystitis may also have a defect in the protective lining (epithelium) of the bladder. A leak in the epithelium may allow toxic substances in urine to irritate your bladder wall.
Signs You Should Get Help for Interstitial Cystitis
Pressure and tenderness in your bladder and pelvic area. Urgent need to urinate or frequent urination (often small amounts) Pain intensity that changes as your bladder fills or empties.
Learn to recognize what triggers your IC/BPS flares. Some common triggers include diet, medicines (including certain vitamins and supplements), exercise, sexual intercourse, hormone fluctuations, stress, certain modes of transportation or long trips, and even tight clothing.
Antacids for Interstitial Cystitis
Calcium Glycerophosphate (Prelief) - A mineral supplement and antacid, Prelief is the most common brand name for IC patients. Calcium glycerophosphate is taken before meals, particularly before eating or drinking a known trigger, to try and mitigate the dietary trigger.
-Drinking plenty of fluids: This will help to keep the urine diluted and reduce irritation. -Taking over-the-counter pain medication: This can help to relieve pain and inflammation. Tylenol is better than Motrin or Advil. -Using a heating pad: This can help to soothe pain and cramping.
Charlotte McKinney) Actor and model Charlotte McKinney takes us through a day in her life while managing interstitial cystitis, a chronically painful bladder health condition.
Doctors use treatments to either coat and protect the bladder or suppress inflammation. Medications for interstitial cystitis such as Elmiron may reduce bladder discomfort and pain in some people with IC and may work by repairing the damaged bladder lining.
IC pain often follows eating trigger foods, which are usually acidic, spicy, or pro-inflammatory. What is this? Foods that make interstitial cystitis worse include acidic foods, foods with artificial sweeteners, and carbonated drinks. Many patients report more pain or flare-ups after ingesting these items.
Hydroxyzine affects mast cell degranulation, which is thought to play a part in some IC/BPS patients' symptoms, especially those who have a history of allergies, migraines and irritable bowel syndrome. Hydroxyzine has been shown to improve these conditions, as well as IC/BPS.
Typically, common symptoms include bladder pain, discomfort or urinary urgency. Severe symptoms such as painful sexual intercourse, difficulty exercising or travel hesitancy can interfere with daily activities.
IC is common. The condition may affect between 3 million and 8 million women and between 1 million and 4 million men in the United States.
End-stage interstitial cystitis is defined as a hard bladder that triggers intense pain and possesses very low bladder capacity. Many cases of end-stage interstitial cystitis involve Hunner's ulcers. Also known as “end-stage IC”, only about 5% of IC patients develop this severe condition.
Pain (often with pressure) may be constant or may come and go. The pain can get worse as the bladder fills. Some patients feel discomfort in other areas as well, such as the urethra, lower abdomen or lower back. Women may feel pain in the vulva or vagina.
There is no best way to diagnose IC. A variety of tests may be needed. These include urine tests, imaging tests, and biopsy. Treatments are aimed at easing symptoms.
IC is part of the “Widespread Pain Phenotype (WPP)” syndromes, which is a classified group of disorders that are somatic in nature, where the underlying pathophysiology is attributed to a long term mental and emotional stressor, rather than solely an underlying anatomic, biochemical, functional, or infectious pathology ...