Some conditions can occur alongside IC/BPS (and require their own treatment), and others can mimic IC but rule it out.
Having these does not rule out IC/BPS—but they may need their own treatment:
- Pelvic floor dysfunction/hypertonia
- Tight or tender pelvic floor muscles; often improves with pelvic floor physical therapy
- Voiding dysfunction
- Trouble starting urination; symptoms may come and go
- Vulvodynia
- Vulvar pain/tenderness
- Endometriosis
- Can mimic bladder symptoms; may worsen during menstrual periods
- Sometimes linked with cyclical blood in the urine
- Recurrent Bacterial Cystitis (UTIs) (can overlap)
- Urethritis
Active (current) conditions:
- Acute bacterial cystitis (UTI) — infection of the bladder that can cause burning, urgency, frequency, and pelvic pain.
- Sexually transmitted infection (STI) — genital/urinary infections can cause urinary burning, pelvic pain, and urethral symptoms.
- Vaginitis — vaginal inflammation/infection that can mimic urinary burning and pelvic discomfort.
- Prostatitis — prostate inflammation/infection that can cause pelvic pain and urinary frequency/urgency (in men).
- Epididymitis — inflammation/infection near the testicle that can cause pelvic/groin pain and urinary symptoms (in men).
- Bladder stone — a stone in the bladder that can cause pain, blood in urine, and urinary frequency/urgency.
- Ureteral stone — a kidney stone moving into the ureter that can cause severe pain and urinary symptoms/blood in urine.
- Urethral diverticulum — a pouch along the urethra that can cause pain, recurrent infections, and post-void dribbling.
- Urethral stricture — narrowing of the urethra that can lead to weak stream, incomplete emptying, and irritative symptoms.
- Nerve entrapment — compressed/pinched nerves can cause pelvic pain that may be mistaken for bladder pain.
- Herniated disc — spine problems can refer pain to the pelvis and affect urinary symptoms.
Past or current conditions:
- History of pelvic radiation — can cause long-term bladder inflammation (“radiation cystitis”) with pain and bleeding.
- Gynecologic cancers — cancers of reproductive organs can cause pelvic pain/pressure and urinary symptoms.
- Bladder cancer — can mimic irritative bladder symptoms and may cause blood in the urine.
- Carcinoma in situ (CIS) — a flat, high-grade bladder cancer that can cause frequency/urgency and pain with minimal findings on routine tests.
- Chemotherapy-induced cystitis — certain chemotherapy drugs can inflame the bladder, causing pain and bleeding.
- Ketamine cystitis — bladder inflammation from ketamine use that can closely resemble IC/BPS with severe frequency/urgency and pain.
- Tuberculous cystitis — bladder infection due to tuberculosis that can cause chronic urinary symptoms and inflammation.
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