Interstitial Cystitis (IC) refers to an uncomfortable and annoying inflammatory condition of the bladder. The classic symptoms include urinary frequency and pain above the pubic region. The interstitial cystitis patient has a small capacity, irritated bladder. Urgency and pain intensity can vary greatly from patient to patient. No one is certain of the cause. The incidence of IC is much greater in females than in males. IC begins gradually and becomes progressively worse. Symptoms may go away for a period of time (remission), but usually return. As with urethral syndrome, many other more common urologic problems are diagnosed incorrectly before the proper diagnosis is made. Interstitial cystitis must be diagnosed with the use of the cystoscope, an instrument which can directly visualize the interior of the bladder. Often, women's symptoms get worse during menstruation.

Like women, men have often experienced difficulties in obtaining an accurate diagnosis of IC, but for somewhat different reasons. The symptoms of IC in men closely resemble those of non-bacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia. Although, in recent years, awareness of IC has increased markedly in the urologic community, IC is often thought to be a "women ’s disease," and urologists do not always consider performing diagnostic tests that would confirm IC in a male patient.

Even when IC is diagnosed, it is sometimes difficult for a man to accept that he has this condition and that almost everyone who has the disease is a woman. In a survey one urologist made of 50 male IC patients, he found that men had seen an average of 3.3 physicians before their diagnosis was made. This was disturbing because, while women will usually see a general practitioner or gynecologist before going to a urologist, men ordinarily see a urologist first.

While there are numerous treatments for IC there is no outright cure. Medical treatments for interstitial cystitis have included overstretching of the bladder with water, instillation of a dilute silver nitrate solution into the bladder, and steroid use. Currently, treatments for interstitial cystitis are aimed at relieving symptoms rather than achieving a cure. For patients with only mild symptoms, nonprescription aspirin or ibuprofen may be enough to relieve bladder discomfort.

For some people, the pain and other negative effects of the condition may be aggravated by a variety of foods. The list can be very long but some of the commonly mentioned ones include tomatoes, spices, chocolate, caffeinated and citrus beverages, high-acid foods and artificial sweeteners. In order to determine which (if any) of these foods may be aggravating your symptoms, you might try eliminating all of these foods for a week or two, and then reintroducing them one by one, at weekly intervals. You may then be able to tell which ones cause you problems.

The discovery that the bladder cells of IC patients contain a toxin called APF, or antiproliferative factor, may mean that a faster urine test could be able to diagnose the condition. According to scientists, APF appears to decrease levels of HB-EGF, a growth factor that helps to repair a damaged bladder lining. Not only could the toxin point to a possible cause of IC, but also the discovery suggests that bladder growth factor might be used in the treatment of IC. However, further testing is needed to prove the research.

The Social Security Administration has ruled that IC can be incapacitating enough to legally render someone disabled.

A good site to visit for conventional information on this topic is the Interstitial Cystitis Association.

Please see the book recommendations found under the treatment link to an Alkalizing Diet.