Stress does not cause IC, but if you have IC, stress can cause a flare. Physical stress and mental stress can lead to flares. Remember, every flare will settle down and worrying about it only prolongs the discomfort.
Interstitial Cystitis
IC is a chronic condition causing bladder pressure, pain and sometimes pelvic pain. Stress is not the cause of IC, but it can trigger a flare up. When you stress at a flare, it only prolongs it and increases the intensity of the pain.
It was shown that there is a strong correlation between past trauma and the development of interstitial cystitis, as well as a much higher incidence of PTSD in patients diagnosed with IC.
Of course, almost every IC patient can attest to the fact that their IC symptoms have occasionally been exacerbated by stress. “Every day I work with patients who have chronic anxiety disorder, often triggered by a traumatic event or PTSD early in their life.
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.
Stress does not cause IC, but if you have IC, stress can cause a flare. Physical stress and mental stress can lead to flares. Remember, every flare will settle down and worrying about it only prolongs the discomfort.
Genetic and immune disorders, recurrent bacterial infections, and pelvic floor dysfunction are possible factors that can lead to this condition.
The second theory is that anxiety and stress can cause muscle tension, which can affect the muscles of the bladder and increase the urge to urinate. Anxiety and depression are also associated with nocturia, which is the term for frequently waking during sleep to go to the bathroom.
We've established that it's not uncommon for anxiety and overactive bladder to occur together (with anxiety at least contributing to OAB). But what about incontinence and OAB? Can anxiety cause you to lose control over your bladder? Yes – but it's rare.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic and painful condition of the bladder. People with IC have a bladder wall that is tender and easily irritated, leading to uncomfortable symptoms. Although IC currently has no cure, the symptoms can be managed to help you feel better and live more comfortably.
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.
Flares can last for a few hours or several days, depending on what triggered them, and they can happen to long-term IC patients, as well as those who are newly diagnosed. Triggers include specific foods, travel, tight clothing, strenuous exercise, certain medications, sex, and fluctuations in hormones.
Many patients who struggle with anxiety and depression also struggle with incontinence. As far as which issues are to blame, it appears to go both ways: mental stress can cause incontinence, and incontinence can also cause mental stress.
There is overwhelming evidence, both in patients and animal models, for a release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines during periods of chronic stress. Furthermore, cytokines have been shown to cause bladder dysfunction and pain via actions in the central nervous system and locally in the bladder.
Pelvic floor physical therapy works to release tension from these muscles, clear out inflammation, and restore normal function. It's the only treatment shown to sustainably help a majority of IC patients, and the only treatment given an 'A' evidence grade by the American Urological Association.
Most patients need to continue treatment indefinitely or the symptoms return. Some patients have flare-ups of symptoms even while on treatment. In some patients the symptoms gradually improve and even disappear. Some patients do not respond to any IC/BPS therapy.
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.
While many people wonder whether stress can cause a UTI or mimic UTI symptoms, it's important to know that it doesn't directly cause the infection. But, feeling stressed can contribute to increased levels of cortisol which impacts the immune system. A weakened immune system means you might get a UTI more easily.
There are two types of anxiety urination. There is instant urination that genuinely occurs during moments of complete terror, and there is frequent urination, which is the sensation of needing to urinate often without necessarily drinking excess water/liquid.
Heat & Cold Therapy
Depending on the type of flare-up, the application of heat and cold therapy can prove helpful in reducing the pain and inflammation linked to Interstitial Cystitis.
Stages of interstitial cystitis can range from mild discomfort in the pelvic area to feeling the need to urinate so frequently you may be afraid to leave home. Interstitial cystitis is typically diagnosed by ruling out other conditions that cause bladder pain or frequent urination.
However, some people with IC find that certain foods or drinks trigger or worsen their symptoms. Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.
It will usually resolve in 3-7 days with or without treatment. However, as it is a painful and potentially serious condition, investigation and treatment are vital. FIC is usually recurrent with repeated bouts causing damage and thickening of the bladder wall.