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If bladder pain, urgency and frequency
are interfering with your life and no cause can be found, your
physician may suspect interstitial cystitis (IC). You should
understand that your doctor will first rule out other medical
problems (like urinary tract infection) that can be the cause
of your symptoms.
Other tests can be done to help your healthcare professional
make a diagnosis.
Pain & Urgency/Frequency Symptom Scale (PUF)
This self scoring test can be done by yourself and helps your
doctor decide if further tests are necessary. Potassium Sensitivity Test (PST)
Your bladder is a muscle lined with mucous membranes like
the inside of your mouth or vagina. With IC, the bladder lining
becomes sensitive. The PST is an in office test, putting a
sterile solution into your bladder through a thin, flexible
tube and asking you to route the pain and urgency you are feeling.
The bladder is then drained and a potassium containing sterile
solution is flushed into your bladder lining.
Once a diagnosis of IC is made, your health care professional
can discuss treatment options. Keep in mind that most treatments
take time to work. Remember that your condition did not happen
overnight and it can take some time to repair the damage to
your bladder.
There is no cure for IC, but there are treatments that can
improve your symptoms.
An approved liquid solution can be directly flushed into the
bladder through a soft rubber catheter. It works by reducing
bladder wall inflammation, blocking pain, and preventing bladder
muscle contractions. You may be asked to hold this solution
in the bladder for 15-30 minutes and then urinate it out. Treatments
need to be repeated for about 6-8 weeks after the first treatment.
There is also an oral medication to assist with protecting
the bladder lining. This is usually taken three times a day.
It takes awhile to work and relief occurs in stages. This should
be tried for 6 months to give it a chance to work.
Lifestyle changes, such as increasing your daily water intake
and avoiding certain foods can also help your symptoms. It
is important to keep follow up appointments, to watch your
progress and decide if a different approach is necessary. |
