Interstitial Cistitis

Were you looking for information about Interstitial Cystitis? Interstitial cistitis is a common misspelling of interstitial cystitis.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic condition that can cause discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. People with this condition have an inflamed or irritated bladder wall. This inflammation can lead to:

Scarring and stiffening of the bladder
Less bladder capacity
Pinpoint bleeding in the bladder lining.

Symptoms of this disorder include:

Discomfort, pressure, tenderness, or intense pain in the bladder and surrounding pelvic area
An urgent and frequent need to urinate -- both day and night
Reduced bladder capacity.

Although there is no cure for this condition, treatment can help improve symptoms and quality of life for people who have it. Studies have found that people who learn about IC and become involved in their own healthcare tend to do better than those who do not.

(Click Interstitial Cystitis for a more in-depth look at other symptoms, the potential causes of this condition, and different treatment methods that are currently available. You can also click on any of the links in the box to the right for more specific information.)