6 Treatments for Chronic Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC) causes chronic bladder pain and urinary problems. The pain is similar to that caused by urinary tract infections (UTIs), but IC isn’t an infection. However, the symptoms can be intrusive and demoralizing, affecting quality of life.

At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, with multiple locations in Maryland and Delaware, our specialists can diagnose and treat interstitial cystitis to manage or even eliminate symptoms.

Interstitial cystitis symptoms

Interstitial cystitis causes discomfort and pain below the belly button — particularly in the bladder and pelvic areas. This chronic condition has life-disrupting symptoms, including: 

• Pain in and around the bladder
• Pressure, cramping, and pain in the pelvic area 
• Urinary urgency and high-frequency urination
• Pain after sex

If this sounds like a UTI, that’s because the two conditions have overlapping symptoms. However, chronic IC isn’t bacterial in nature, meaning a round of antibiotics won’t help.

Causes of interstitial cystitis

No one is as yet certain what causes interstitial cystitis. There may be a combination of contributing factors, such as:

• Chronic inflammation
• Autoimmune disorders
• Damage to or thinning of the bladder wall
• Vascular disease

Stress can also contribute, and you’re twice as likely to suffer from IC if you’re female.

Treatments for interstitial cystitis

Treatment for IC centers on symptom relief, given the absence of a clear cause. At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, we offer six options for treating IC:

1. Oral medications 

A variety of oral medications are available to reduce pain and inflammation. In addition, there’s Elmiron®, an FDA-approved drug for treating IC by repairing your bladder lining.

2. Bladder distension

We can encourage your bladder to stretch through distension by introducing sterile water to gently expand its capacity. That can help reduce episodes of bladder urgency and frequency. 

3. Bladder instillations

Bladder instillations insert medications like Rimso-50® directly into your bladder, and you flush out the medication 15 minutes later by urinating. That helps absorb the medicine directly into the bladder lining, reducing pain and inflammation.

4. Electrical stimulation

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) delivers low-level electric pulses through external electrodes attached to your abdomen over areas of pain. That can relieve discomfort and help strengthen pelvic muscles, improving bladder retention and urinary control.

5. Injections

Injections can reduce inflammation and relieve pelvic pain. These include a hypogastric plexus block to calm overactive (sympathetic) nerves that radiate into the lower torso, and trigger point injections to relax muscles that pinch nerves. Injections can last a few months.

6. Physical therapy 

Physical therapy can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles supporting your bladder and promote hip joint flexibility, blood flow, and your body’s natural healing processes. You may find it takes several sessions of physical therapy to alleviate symptoms.

Is bladder and pelvic pain making you miserable? Call us today to schedule your visit to CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, or request an appointment online.