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What
is Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome?
Interstitial
cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome (IC/PBS) is a chronic inflammatory
condition of the bladder wall. The etilogy is unknown and
there are no uniformly effective treatments. Symptoms are
similar to an acute urinary tract infection, and include pelvic
pain, urinary urgency and urinary frequency. However, urine
cultures are negative and patients do not respond to antibiotics.
An estimated one million people in the United States suffer
from IC/PBS -- 90 percent of whom are women -- a conservative
estimate because many people with IC/PBS are either misdiagnosed
or go undiagnosed. The incidence of IC/PBS is similar to that
of Parkinson's disease, yet few people are aware of the condition.
IC/PBS may be associated with other conditions such as vulvodynia,
fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Epidemiological
studies reveal that it takes, on average, five to seven years
to obtain an accurate diagnosis of IC/PBS and that IC/PBS
patients score worse on quality of life measures than patients
with end stage renal disease on dialysis. Without adequate
intervention, patients can experience severe pelvic pain and
the need to void as often as every 10 to 15 minutes both day
and night. Some patients are housebound, and many are unable
to work or care for their families. Intractable pain has resulted
in suicides each year because patients are left to live with
severe, debilitating pain and have nowhere to turn for help.
DIAGNOSIS: IC/PBS is frequently
misdiagnosed as an acute urinary tract infection (cystitis),
a disorder which can be successfully treated with antibiotics.
A cystoscopy with hydrodistention under general anesthesia
is required to make a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis or
painful bladder syndrome. The bladder is distended to check
for pinpoint hemorrhages on the bladder wall that are the
hallmark of IC/PBS. A number of other diseases must be ruled
out, such as bladder infection, bladder cancer, sexually transmitted
diseases, neurological disorders, kidney disease, and vaginal
infections.
The
above text is provided with the permission of the ICA.
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