Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is a complex, chronic disorder characterized by an inflamed or irritated bladder wall. It can lead to scarring and stiffening of the bladder, decreased bladder capacity and glomerulations (pinpoint bleeding). It may also be known as painful bladder syndrome or frequency-urgency-dysuria syndrome.

The cause of interstitial cystitis is still unknown and patients do not respond to antibiotic medication. Researchers are investigating many theories to understand the causes of interstitial cystitis and to determine appropriate treatments.

Getting help at Jefferson
There is no cure for interstitial cystitis. However, Jefferson urologists use our state-of-the-art urodynamics laboratory to aid in diagnosis, and we offer a number of therapies to relieve symptoms in patients suffering from interstitial cystitis. Therapies include:

• Bladder distension, a procedure aimed at increasing bladder capacity and interfering  with pain signals that are being transmitted by the nerve cells in the bladder
• Bladder instillation, a procedure in which the bladder is filled with a solution that is  held for varying periods of time, from a few seconds to 15 minutes, before being drained through a catheter
• Medication
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), which involves mild, electric  pulses that enter the body for minutes to hours two or more times a day
• Bladder training
  
• Surgery
  
• Access to the latest investigational studies
  
  

Additional information about interstitial cystitis