Self-help organisations  Cystitis

The Interstitial Cystitis Support Group 

The Interstitial Cystitis Support Group gives support to people with Interstitial Cystitis. Its goals are;

• The relief of sickness of persons suffering from Interstitial Cystitis

• To provide IC patients, their families and friends with contact with other sufferers in their area

• The advancement of education amongst the general public and the medical profession into the causes and treatment of IC

• To support research and ultimately find an effective treatment and cure for IC

Membership of the ICSG is open to everyone who suffers from IC, or is interested in furthering the work of the charity. The annual subscription fee is low.

Health issue

What is Interstitial Cystitis?

Interstitial Cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammation of the bladder wall. ‘Common’ cystitis is a urinary tract infection caused by bacteria and is usually treated with antibiotics. Unlike common cystitis, it is believed that IC is not caused by bacteria, and does not respond to conventional antibiotic therapy. It is important to note, however, that IC is not a psychosomatic disorder, nor is it caused by stress.

Who is affected?

IC can affect males and females of any age or race, although it is most commonly found in women. It is currently thought that as many as 400,000 people in the UK are affected by the condition

What causes IC?

No-one knows what causes IC, which is why money is needed to be spent on medical research. IC cannot be caught from another person.
If you suffer from IC the main symptoms are:

Frequency

Day and/or night frequency of urination (up to 60 times a day in severe cases). In early or very mild cases, frequency is sometimes the only symptom.

Urgency

The sensation of having to urinate immediately may also be accompanied by pain, pressure or spasms.

Pain

Can be in the abdominal, urethral or vaginal area. Pain is also frequently associated with sexual intercourse.

What is the cure?

There is no medical cure for IC at present, although certain treatments may help to reduce the symptoms. Surgery is also used in extreme cases. The treatments listed have been used to relieve the symptoms of IC in some people.

Bladder Distention: The bladder is stretched by filling it with water under a general anaesthetic.

Oral Medications: These include anti-inflammatory drugs, antispasmodics, antihistamines and muscle relaxants.

DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide): This medication is instilled directly into the bladder and is believed to work as an anti-inflammatory agent, therefore reducing the pain.

Anti-depressants: Certain anti-depressant drugs such as amitriptyline appear to have anti-pain properties.

Cimetidine: More commonly used for healing stomach ulcers, this drug has also been found to be effective in controlling some symptoms of IC.

Diet: Eliminating certain foods may decrease the severity of IC symptoms.

TENS Unit: This device, worn externally, relieves bladder pain in some people.

Surgery: This includes bladder augmentation and urinary diversion.

Drug Trials: There are drugs trials being held into drugs which may help to alleviate the symptoms of IC.