Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a chronic bladder health issue. It is a feeling of pain and pressure in the bladder area. Along with this pain are lower urinary tract symptoms which have lasted for more than 6 weeks, without having an infection or other clear causes.

Symptoms range from mild to severe. For some patients the symptoms may come and go, and for others they don't go away. IC/BPS is not an infection, but it may feel like a bladder infection. Women with IC/BPS may feel pain when having sex. The more severe cases of IC/BPS can affect your life and your loved ones. Some people with IC/BPS have other health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other pain syndromes.

The bladder and kidneys are part of the urinary system, the organs in our bodies that make, store, and pass urine. You have 2 kidneys that make urine. Then urine is stored in the bladder. The muscles in the lower part of your abdomen hold your bladder in place.

Diagram of Female Urinary Tract

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Diagram of Male Urinary Tract

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How the Urinary System Works

The bladder and kidneys are part of the urinary system. These organs make, store and pass urine. The kidneys make urine and move it into the balloon-shaped bladder. The bladder stores urine until you are ready to release it. If your bladder is working normally, you can hold urine for some time.

The bladder is relaxed when it is not full. It’s held in place by pelvic muscles in the lower part of your abdomen. Nerve signals to your brain let you know when it is full and gives you the feeling that you need to release urine. Brain signals then tell the bladder muscles to squeeze (contract). This forces the urine out through your urethra (the tube that carries urine from your body). Sphincter muscles in the urethra stay closed to keep urine from leaking out. When you're ready to go to the bathroom, the sphincter muscles in the urethra relax and open. You should not feel pain during the urinary process.

What is Interstitial Cystitis or Bladder Pain Syndrome?

Interstitial Cystitis (IC) or Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) or IC/BPS is an issue of long-term bladder pain. It may feel like a bladder or urinary tract infection, but it’s not. It is a feeling of discomfort and pressure in the bladder area that lasts for six weeks or more with no infection or other clear cause. There may also be lower urinary tract symptoms like a regular, urgent need to pass urine. If you or a loved one has IC/BPS, it is of great value to learn how to control symptoms and relieve pain.

You don’t have to feel pain to have IC/BPS. Some patients only describe an intense pressure in the bladder.