Interstitial Cystitis (Bladder
Condition)
What
is interstitial cystitis?
What are the causes of interstitial cystitis?
What are some symptoms and signs of interstitial
cystitis?
Is there a cure for interstitial cystitis?
I have interstitial cystitis and I've noticed that
when I eat or drink foods that contain Nutrasweet, that my bladder becomes
more irritated. Is there anything in my diet that I should avoid to lessen
the symptoms of IC or anything else I can do?
I have interstitial cystitis and have just
discovered I am 3 months pregnant. Will it affect my baby in any way?
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What is interstitial
cystitis?
Interstitial
cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome and frequency-urgency-dysuria
syndrome, is a complex, chronic disorder that has baffled doctors for as
long as it has been recognized." "People with interstitial cystitis (IC)
have an inflamed, or irritated, bladder wall. This inflammation can lead
to scarring and stiffening of the bladder, decreased bladder capacity,
glomerulations (pinpoint bleeding) and, in rare cases, ulcers in the
bladder lining." "Estimates of the number of people who have IC run as
high as 500,000, but no one knows for sure how many people have it. About
90 percent of IC patients are women. While people of any age can be
affected, about two-thirds of patients are in their twenties, thirties, or
forties. IC is rare in children. In a few cases, IC has afflicted both
mother and daughter, but there is no evidence that the disorder is
hereditary, or genetically passed from parent to child.
What are the
causes of interstitial cystitis?
No one knows what
causes interstitial cystitis, but doctors studying the disorder believe it
is a real, physical problem-not a result, symptom, or sign of an emotional
problem. .Some people are diagnosed with IC after taking antibiotics for a
presumed
urinary tract infection. Therefore, it has been suggested that
antibiotics may damage the bladder wall and make it "leaky." This idea has
been studied carefully, but antibiotics have never been found to harm the
bladder wall. Thus, other ideas are more likely to explain why some IC
patients are diagnosed after a urinary tract infection. It is possible
that the infection started an autoimmune response against the bladder, the
patient's original symptoms were from IC all along, or an infecting
organism is in bladder cells but is not detectable through routine tests.
What are
some symptoms and signs of interstitial cystitis?
The symptoms of
interstitial cystitis vary greatly from one person to another but have
some similarities to those of a urinary tract infection: decreased bladder
capacity, an urgent need to urinate frequently day and night, feelings of
pressure, pain, and tenderness around the bladder, pelvis, and perineum
(the area between the anus and vagina or anus and scrotum), which may
increase as the bladder fills and decrease as it empties, painful sexual
intercourse, in men, discomfort or pain in the penis and scrotum, in most
women, symptoms usually worsen around the menstrual cycle. As with many
other illnesses, stress may also intensify symptoms but does not cause
them.
Is there a
cure for interstitial cystitis?
Scientists have not
yet found a cure for interstitial cystitis, nor can they predict who will
respond best to which treatment. Symptoms may disappear without
explanation or coincide with an event such as a change in diet or
treatment. Even when symptoms disappear, however, they may return after
days, weeks, months, or years. Scientists do not know why. Because doctors
do not know what causes IC, treatments are aimed at relieving symptoms.
Most people are helped for variable periods of time by one or a
combination of treatments, many of which are described briefly in this
booklet. However, as researchers learn more about IC, the list of
potential treatments may change. Patients should discuss treatment options
with a doctor.
I have
interstitial cystitis and I've noticed that when I eat or drink foods that
contain Nutrasweet, that my bladder becomes more irritated. Is there
anything in my diet that I should avoid to lessen the symptoms of IC or
anything else I can do?
There is no
scientific evidence linking diet to IC, but some doctors and patients
believe that alcohol, tomatoes, spices, chocolate, caffeinated and citrus
beverages, and high-acid foods may contribute to bladder irritation and
inflammation. Some patients also notice a worsening of symptoms after
eating or drinking products containing artificial sweeteners. Patients may
try eliminating such products from their diet and reintroduce them one at
a time to determine which, if any, affect symptoms. It is important,
however, to maintain a well-balanced and varied diet. Many IC patients
feel that regular exercise helps relieve symptoms and, in some cases,
hastens remission.
I have
interstitial cystitis and have just discovered I am 3 months pregnant.
Will it affect my baby in any way?
Researchers have
little information about pregnancy and IC, but believe that the disorder
does not affect
fertility or the health of the fetus. Some women have a remission from IC
during pregnancy, while others have more pain and pressure during the
third trimester, possibly due to the weight of the fetus on the bladder.
from
The Office On Women's Health - US Department of Health and Human Services
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