What is IC and What Are The Symptoms? | Interstitial Cystitis

What is IC or Interstitial cystitis?

IC is also known as bladder pain syndrome or painful bladder syndrome and is a debilitating condition that significantly affects the quality of life of patients living with it.

Many patients with IC have other overlapping pain conditions such as Dyspareunia (pain with intercourse). 88% of patients with IC had at least one symptoms of sexual dysfunction (lack of sexual interest, can’t relax and enjoy sex, difficulty becoming sexually aroused and difficulty reaching orgasm)¹. Women with IC rated their sexual dysfunction as moderate to severe when compared to controls and reported increased pain with intercourse, decreased desire and decreased frequency of orgasm^5,6. 

Symptoms of IC include: 

• An unpleasant sensation (pain, pressure, discomfort) perceived to be related to the urinary bladder >6 weeks in duration^6,7,9 
• Increased pain with specific foods or drinks and/or worsened with bladder filling and/or improved with urination⁹.
• Urinary urgency (Seen in 84% of IC patients)⁶.
• Urinary frequency (>10x/day) (Seen in 92% of IC patients)⁶.

How can pelvic health physical therapy help IC?

Pelvic health physical therapy has been given a grade A from the American Urological Association as a treatment modality for IC. The types of treatment recommended were:

•  Manual therapy techniques to the regions of the pelvis, abdomen and/or hip. 
  • Trigger point release
  • Lengthening of tight muscles/connective tissue restrictions 
  • Scar tissue mobilizations.

The American Urological Association recommends that patients have multimodal therapy to address all domains that IC can affect. Some of the therapies recommended for IC include:

• Physical therapy
• Pain counseling 
• Psychology 
• Stress management

To discuss your treatment options with a physical therapist, make an appointment here. 

** The American Urological Association has recently (2022) published updated guidelines to the treatment of IC and BPS.  These updates are highlighted and discussed in our blog post: Updates to Interstitial Cystitis / Bladder Pain Syndrome Treatment Guidelines. **

References

1. Bogart LM, Suttorp MJ, Elliott MN, Clemens JQ, Berry SH. Prevalence and correlates of sexual dysfunction among women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis. Urology. 2011;77:576–580.

2. Hanno P and Dmochowski R: Status of international consensus on interstitial cystitis/ bladder pain syndrome/painful bladder syndrome: 2008 snapshot. Neurourology and Urodynamics 2009; 28: 274.

3. Clemens JQ, Link CL, Eggers PW et al: Prevalence of painful bladder symptoms and effect on quality of life in black, Hispanic and white men and women. J Urol 2007; 177:

4. Lifford KL and Curhan GC: Prevalence of Painful Bladder Syndrome in Older Women. Urology 2009; 73: 494

5. Peters KM, Killinger KA, Carrico DJ et al: Sexual function and sexual distress in women with interstitial cystitis: a case- control study. Urology 2007; 70: 543.

6. Tincello DG and Walker AC: Interstitial cystitis in the UK: results of a questionnaire survey of members of the Interstitial Cystitis Support Group. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2005; 118: 91.

7. Fitzgerald MP, Koch D and Senka J: Visceral and cutaneous sensory testing in patients with painful bladder syndrome. Neurourol Urodyn 2005; 24: 627.

8. Fitzgerald, MP et al: Randomized multicenter clinical trial of myofascial physical therapy in women with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) and pelvic floor tenderness. J Urol 2012; 187: 2113

9. Warren JW, Brown J, Tracy JK et al: Evidence Based criteria for pain of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome in women. Urology 2008; 71: 444