Managing Stress
Most people with interstitial cystitis (IC) recognize that stress plays a part in exacerbating symptoms or bringing on flare-ups. Simply dealing with having IC and the accompanying symptoms can be a source of stress in itself. In addition to using regular exercise to combat stress and relieve pain, IC patients suggest the following complementary therapies:
- Learning basic relaxation techniques.
- Using meditation tapes and/or visualization.
- Learning self-hypnosis.
- Receiving massages.
- Going to psychotherapy to learn coping skills and stress reduction techniques.
Revised Monday, March 30th, 2015
