What is interstitial cystitis?
Cystitis is inflammation of the urinary bladder. The term interstitial cystitis (also called interstitial cystopathy) is used to designate cases in which the pathology is chronic.
What are the symptoms of interstitial cystitis?
People affected by cystitis have a completely inflamed and painful bladder wall and may even pass blood during urination. This is due to scarring or stiffness that is created in the bladder, resulting in the inability to expand as it fills with urine. Thus, symptoms often include urges to urinate urgently and high urinary frequency, including pain during intercourse.
What causes cystitis?
The exact cause of these infections is currently unknown, although it is known that it is not a bacterial or viral infection. Interstitial cystitis is much more common in women than in men, as well as it usually occurs from the age of 20 to 30 years and it is quite common to occur after sexual intercourse or at menopause.
Can interstitial cystitis be prevented?
The main mechanism to prevent chronic cystitis is to prevent cystitis from occurring, as well as preventing it from becoming chronic. Thus, some guidelines to prevent or avoid cystitis are:
- drink plenty of water and fluids
- Frequent urination
- Maintain proper daily genital hygiene
- Showering instead of bathing
- Do not use sprays or deodorants in the genital area.
What is the treatment for interstitial cystitis?
There is no definitive cure for interstitial cystitis, although the initial treatment for cystitis is usually antibiotics. In interstitial cystitis, treatments are usually focused on improving symptoms: diet, exercises to control the bladder, medications, physiotherapy, etc.