WHAT IS INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS, ALSO KNOWN AS BLADDER PAIN SYNDROME?

Interstitial cystitis (IS) / bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a chronic bladder health problem. This is a feeling of pain and pressure in the bladder area. Along with this pain, there are lower urinary tract symptoms that last more than 6 weeks without infection or other obvious cause.

SYMPTOMS:

For some, the symptoms of IS/QOS come and go and can vary in severity. For others, they continue. Some people with IS/COS also have irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other problems. Symptoms can make everyday life very difficult. These are the most common symptoms:

Pain

Pain (often with pressure) may be constant or may come and go. Pain may increase as the bladder fills. Some patients also experience discomfort in other areas, such as the urethra, lower abdomen, or lower back. Women may feel pain in the vulva or vagina. Men may feel pain in the scrotum, testicles, penis, or rectum. Both women and men with IS/QOS may experience sexual problems. For women, sex is painful because the bladder is located in front of the vagina. A day after orgasm, a man may experience pain.

Ultracity

IS/QOS sometimes starts with urinary urgency. The average person urinates seven times a day. Frequent - needing to urinate more frequently throughout the day and night than the average person.

Urgency

Some IS/COS patients have a constant urge to urinate after urinating. The patient may not perceive it as a problem because it develops gradually. In other cases, the sense of urgency is more dramatic, with symptoms appearing within days. It is unusual to experience urinary leakage with IS/COS. If you have leaking urine, it could be a sign of another problem.

IS/QOS can affect your life

IS/QOS symptoms can interfere with your social life, work life, exercise and sleep. IS/QOS can affect your relationships with your spouse, family, and friends. Without treatment, walking with IS/QOS symptoms can make it difficult to get through the day. It's hard to feel comfortable. One of the symptoms of IS/QOS is that too little sleep can leave you feeling tired and miserable. Eating can be a problem for some people with IS/QOS. Sometimes symptoms worsen after eating. You may also avoid intimacy because of the pain you may experience during or after sex. Overall, this condition can cause a lot of distress.

There is no evidence that stress causes IS/QOS. However, it is well known that physical or mental stress can make IS/QOS symptoms worse.

CAUSES

Experts do not know exactly what causes IS/QOS. Some possible causes may include:

• A defect in the bladder tissue.This defect may cause substances in the urine to weaken the tissue or cause ulcers (open ulcers). If so, this cell causes an allergic reaction that can lead to IS/COS symptoms.
• Changes occur in the nerves that carry sensations to the bladder. This pain  can cause pain that is not like normal pain.
• The body's immune system attacks the bladder. This is similar to other autoimmune conditions.

Having a family member with this condition can increase your chances of developing it. Some people may be more likely to experience IS/QOS after an injury to the bladder, such as an infection.

Diagnosis
Unfortunately, there is no medical test that can tell if a person has IS/QOS. To make a diagnosis, your doctor will decide whether your symptoms are typical of IS/COS. 

At diagnosis, IS/COS is usually two to three times more common in women than in men. Data have shown that the risk of IS/QOS increases with age.  In men, IS/COS is often mistaken for another condition such as chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome.