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Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic painful condition of the bladder. IC symptoms are similar to a bladder infection, but IC is unresponsive to antibiotics. IC can be a debilitating condition negatively affecting nearly every aspect of a person’s life.
IC can affect women, men, and children of any age, race, or sex. It is most commonly found in women. Three to 8 million women in the United States may have IC. That is about 3 to 6 percent of all US women. Approximately 1.5 million men have IC; however, this estimate is likely lower than the true prevalence because IC in men may often be mistaken for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
In the US, the mean yearly medical costs for IC patients are more than double those of other patients, and the median yearly costs are close to four-times greater.
On average, it takes five years for a person with IC to receive a correct diagnosis. Many different treatments are available to relieve IC symptoms. However, because symptoms can vary from person to person, treatments also vary from individual to individual. Patients and their doctors often have to try a number of different treatments or combinations of treatments to find what helps.
Research also has shown that IC patients’ quality of life can be worse than that of patients undergoing renal dialysis for end-stage kidney disease:
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In severe cases, IC patients suffer from
unrelenting pain in the pelvic region that necessitates trips to the bathroom as often as every 10 to 15 minutes—both during the day and at night— for relief.
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Some people with IC have symptoms so severe that they prevent them from leaving their homes or even riding in a car—greatly limiting or preventing their ability to work full time (if at all), travel, or participate in leisure activities.
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Some IC patients are unable to share
sexual intimacy with their partners because sex can exacerbate the condition.
Revised November 21, 2008