Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is also called painful bladder syndrome, a name that tells you exactly what you will experience if you have the condition. Cynthia Moorman, MD, and the experienced team at Urology Consultants of Maryland understand that chronic bladder pain and difficulty urinating take a significant toll on your physical and emotional health. They create treatment plans customized to meet each person’s unique health care needs and stop the ongoing cycle of painful interstitial cystitis. Call the office in Frederick, Maryland, or use online booking to schedule an appointment and get relief from bladder pain.

What is interstitial cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis (IC) occurs when you have chronic bladder inflammation that’s not caused by an infection. Your bladder stores urine until it reaches its maximum capacity, and then pressure sensors alert your brain, and your brain sends signals to nerves, telling you it’s time to urinate.

If you have interstitial cystitis, these signals are too frequent, and when you urinate, you release less urine, leaving you feeling like you still need to urinate.

Experts believe that interstitial cystitis may arise from several possible causes, including chronic inflammation, a bladder wall defect or nerve problem, or an autoimmune disease.

What symptoms occur if I have interstitial cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis causes mild to severe pain and pressure in the bladder and pelvic area, along with urinary symptoms like needing to urinate frequently and having the urge to urinate even if you just went to the bathroom. You may also experience other symptoms, such as incontinence and pain when urinating or during intercourse.

How will I know if I have interstitial cystitis?

Your Urology Consultants of Maryland provider determines if you have interstitial cystitis by evaluating your symptoms and completing physical and neurological exams. You may also need diagnostic tests to rule out an infection or other conditions that may cause similar symptoms, such as a urinary tract infection.

What treatments improve interstitial cystitis?

There isn’t one simple cure or treatment for interstitial cystitis. Many people need multiple therapies used in combination to relieve their symptoms, such as:

• Stress management (stress can trigger a painful bladder flare-up)
• Physical therapy (eases muscle discomfort)
• Bladder training (trains your bladder to hold more urine)
• Dietary changes (eliminating foods that irritate your bladder)
• Medications (to ease pain, reduce muscle spasms, or calm your immune system)
• Bladder instillation (reduces pain by temporarily filling the bladder with medication)
• Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (regulates nerve activity and muscle contractions)
• Botox® injections (relaxes bladder muscles)
• Hydrodistention (a procedure using water to stretch the bladder)
• Cauterization (a procedure using heat to remove ulcers inside the bladder)

Surgery is seldom needed, but if your symptoms don’t improve, your provider may discuss your options. For example, you may consider surgery to enlarge your bladder or reroute the flow of urine.

You can get relief from the pain with personalized treatments at Urology Consultants of Maryland. Call or book online today to learn how to improve interstitial cystitis.