Some patients have had inappropriate hysterectomies only to discover, after the fact, that their pelvic pain was originating from their bladder. IC patient Angela Burch won a $2,000,000 federal medical malpractice settlement in Florida when her ob-gyn needlessly removed her healthy uterus even after the urologist reported that she had interstitial cystitis. This is not [...]
IC affects not only the patient but also the extended family. Parents with IC worry about their ability to support their family. Children wonder why their parent cannot attend normal daily functions, like baseball games, and often mistakenly assume that a parent is dying. The ICN has written a children's book "My Mom Has IC: [...]
One of the easiest ways for patients to try to reduce their bladder and prostate discomfort is by removing foods which are high in acid, alcohol or hot spices. Even one cup of coffee day, one green tea or one soda can trigger severe bladder irritation and discomfort. Worse, that daily acid wash may prevent [...]
In the past five years, ketamine cystitis has emerged as a new, critical public health crisis. Researchers around the world have documented growing numbers of young adults who present with severe urinary tract symptoms and bleeding, resulting from their use of ketamine. A recreational drug known for its dissociative anesthesia effects, ketamine has replaced heroin [...]
The role of the pelvic floor muscles in bladder and/or pelvic pain is often underestimated. Urologists have found pelvic floor muscles "as tight as rubber bands" when examining interstitial cystitis patients. Patients with pelvic floor dysfunction may have difficulty starting their urine stream or feel as if something is falling out of them. Vaginal burning is a [...]
In 2011, the first standardized protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of IC was released by the American Urological Association. This provides a six step treatment plan that minimizes the risk of side effects and, surprisingly, also reduces costs. If your doctor suggests surgery (Step 6), Botox (Step 5) or neuromodulation (Step 4) as a [...]
There are various forms of "cystitis" that are easily confused. Bacterial cystitis, aka urinary tract infection, is treated with antibiotics. Radiation cystitis occurs after radiation therapy for cancer. Eosinophilic cystitis is a rare, inflammatory cystitis. Interstitial cystitis is more of an "injury" to the bladder and/or bladder lining. Antibiotics are considered useless in the treatment [...]
Donate Directly To A Research Center Many have asked how they can support research through IC Awareness Month. We encourage patients to consider donating to Beaumont Hospital (Royal Oak, MI) Led by Ken Peters MD, their urology research efforts have uncovered dramatic new findings that are helping clinicians better treat IC. In Spring 2008, prolific [...]
Interstitial cystitis is not a rare condition. New epidemiological studies revealed that three to eight million women in the USA and one to four million men with IC may have symptoms of interstitial cystitis. That could be as many as one out of every 26 people in the USA. It's obviously many more million around [...]
The most exciting time of the year for the IC community, IC Awareness Month, begins September first as patients around the world unite to educate others about IC. We need to reach those patients who are suffering in silence and give them hope. We need to educate doctors who are still treating IC out of [...]