Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), to relieve pain. Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline or imipramine (Tofranil), to help relax your bladder and block pain.
Ural Daily Supplement High Strength Cranberry 60,000 mg capsules support urinary tract health. This concentrated cranberry extract supplement helps reduce the occurrence of medically diagnosed cystitis, assists in the flushing of the urinary tract and the maintenance of urinary tract health.
Common treatments for interstitial cystitis
Amitriptyline is the medication most commonly prescribed for interstitial cystitis. Elmiron is the only oral drug approved by the FDA specifically for interstitial cystitis. It improves the bladder lining, making it less leaky and therefore less inflamed and painful.
When you have interstitial cystitis, the walls of your bladder become irritated and inflamed (shown right), compared with those of a normal bladder (shown top). Interstitial cystitis (in-tur-STISH-ul sis-TIE-tis) is a chronic condition causing bladder pressure, bladder pain and sometimes pelvic pain.
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.
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.
Some people who have IC find relief after a treatment in which a doctor puts a small amount of liquid medicine into the bladder, called bladder instillation or a bladder wash or bath. The doctor guides a tube called a catheter into your bladder and slowly adds a liquid that eases irritation of the bladder wall.
The most proven treatment for interstitial cystitis is natural. Pelvic floor physical therapy resolves IC symptoms naturally and gets to the underlying 'why' of symptoms for lasting relief. Natural supplements and remedies have also been tested and proven to help those with IC.
This will help to relax your pelvic muscles. Drink a glass of water mixed with one teaspoon of baking soda to help to reduce burning sensations. Consult your doctor first if you are on a salt-restricted diet. Be sure to take your medicines.
The antihistamine (such as Zyrtec®) is used because biopsies in patients with IC show an increased number or Mast cells, which are a particular type of white blood cell that are attracted to the site of injury by histamine. The mast cells further increase the local inflammation and pain.
Try sleeping in a position that helps to relax the pelvic muscles. Lying on your side and pulling your legs up into a fetal position, or spreading your legs apart if you sleep on your back, should be more comfortable. Put a hot water bottle on your abdomen or between your legs for 30 minutes before bed.
Bicarbonate of soda
Mixing bicarbonate soda with water to make a drink allows the alkaline solution to reach your bladder, which can make your urine less acidic and stop the bacteria from spreading.
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. For women, the pain in the pelvic region can increase in severity during the menstrual cycle.
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.
Genetic and immune disorders, recurrent bacterial infections, and pelvic floor dysfunction are possible factors that can lead to this condition. Excessive frequency of urination, urinary urgency, and urethra, bladder or pelvic pain are common symptoms.
As your bladder starts to fill, you may feel pain—rather than just discomfort—that gets worse until you urinate. The pain usually improves for a while once you empty your bladder. People with IC rarely have constant bladder pain. The pain may go away for weeks or months and then return.
In fact, aside from dehydration, drinking too little water can result in more acidic urine and more pain. So even if it seems counterintuitive, finding ways to drink more water can actually result in happier IC bladders.
Best Probiotics for Cystitis
These specific strains (in particular, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1® and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14®) have been clinically trialled to survive transit through the gut, and then successfully colonise the vagina and bladder where they exert their beneficial effects3.
Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others) and loratadine (Claritin, others), which may reduce urinary urgency and frequency and relieve other symptoms.