Pain in disguise

Interstitial Cystitis is a highly misdiagnosed disease because its symptoms resemble those of Urinary Tract Infections,Stress Urinary Incontinence,Diabetes,etc.

Interstitial Cystitis is often misdiagnosed as common bladder infection and its cause is still unknown

Interstitial Cystitis (IC) is a highly misdiagnosed disease because its symptoms resemble those of Urinary Tract Infections,Stress Urinary Incontinence,Diabetes,etc. Primarily prevalent in women,this chronic,inflammatory disorder of the urinary bladder is characterised by variable degrees of bladder pain,urinary frequency and urgency (urinary incontinence).

The exact prevalence of IC in India is not known,say urologists Dr Shirish Yande and Dr S S Bapat. By conservative estimates there can be three million patients and it is more common in women says Yande who is the chief urologist at the Ruby Hall Clinic.

According to Bapat,who is Professor of Urology and head of Urology Division at the Maharashtra Medical Foundation,the cause of IC/PBS is still unknown,though several theories have been put forward. It is believed that the primary defect lies in the urothelium,or bladder lining (where the surface glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer is damaged) which allows absorption of substances such as potassium and urea into the bladder wall. This eventually leads to tissue damage and pain as well as symptoms of frequency and urgency. Activation of mast cells with histamine release and neurogenic inflammation are also considered important factors in the etiopathology of IC. These changes cause upregulation of the sensory nerves of the bladder resulting in a state of neurologic wind -up which presents as hyperalgesia.

The symptoms of IC/PBS are often misdiagnosed as a “common” bladder infection (cystitis) or a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). However IC has not been shown to be caused by a bacterial infection,and treatment by antibiotics is ineffective.

Symptoms of IC:
* Pelvic pain,pressure or discomfort.

* Pain or pressure that worsens with bladder filling and / or improves with urination

* Pain,pressure or discomfort may worsen with a certain food or drink

* Urinary frequency and / or urgency.

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* Some patients report burning sensation in the urethra when urinating

* Some patients report lack of sleep beacuse of many times urinating durin night.

* Difficulty in passing urine,hesitancy,dribbling.

* Desire to pass urine again and again after urination.

* To diagnose IC/PBS these symptoms must be present for more than four to six weeks.

IC/PBS is not a harmful disease but it makes your life uncomfortable. Treatment is difficult but not impossible,say urologists.

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