Interstitial Cystitis
Interstitial Cystitis: What is It and What Can I Do About it?
What is it?
Interstitial cystitis is a pain condition of the bladder when pain is present for greater than six weeks. Typically, patients will experience lower urinary tract infection symptoms as well as chronic inflammation. Providers usually consider this a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning they rule out other causes of the pain and dysfunction before diagnosing it.
Common Symptoms
Many patients with interstitial cystitis will experience pain above the pubic bone or in the area surrounding the bladder. It can also be associated with an urgent need to urinate. Some patients may experience worsening symptoms with a full bladder and relief if they urinate more frequently. This frequency can be experienced both in the day and at night. This is known as nocturia if it occurs at night. Sometimes, symptoms can get worse depending on the type of food you eat or the type of exercise you do. Some people also experience pain during or after intercourse.
Keep in mind that the severity of symptoms can differ between patients. Some people may have a sensitivity to coffee while others have a sensitivity to tomatoes. None of that means that you do not have IC, it might just present differently, which is why a diagnosis is sometimes difficult to reach.
What Causes IC?
The exact cause of interstitial cystitis is not known. It is theorized that IC can be caused by a defect in the bladder tissue such as sores, something in the urine causing damage to the bladder, the presence of mast cells causing an allergic reaction, a change in the nerves carrying signals to the brain that are sending pain signals instead, or autoimmune causes. The definitive cause is not actually known. Each patient presents differently. For example, one patient may have sores in their bladder while another has the presence of mast cells.
How Can Physical Therapy Help?
Pain can lead to an increase in muscle tone of the pelvic floor and other muscles surrounding the bladder. Physical therapy can release the fascia surrounding the bladder to loosen the restrictions. Fascial tension can lead to compressed nerves and muscles which may lead to pain as well. Interstitial cystitis is a condition that requires ongoing treatment due to the ebbs and flows of symptoms.
Every patient presents differently, so it is important to get an assessment from a pelvic floor physical therapist to know how your pelvic floor is functioning and influencing your symptoms.
Sources
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/i/interstitial-cystitis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34033350/#:~:text=Interstitial%20cystitis%2Fbladder%20pain%20syndrome,infection%20or%20any%20other%20identifiable
https://www.ichelp.org/abcs-ic-pt/