CARE ASSISTANT
HRPainful Bladder Syndrome (IC)
Chronic pelvic pain and pressure localised to the bladder.
Interstitial cystitis feels like a severe urinary infection, but without bacteria. The bladder wall is inflamed, and the muscle can stiffen over time.
The signs: a distressing urge to urinate, sometimes dozens of times a day, and pelvic pain that increases as the bladder fills.
More Informations
Chronic bladder pain without infection, relieved step by step.
Definition
Interstitial cystitis, or bladder pain syndrome, combines pelvic pain, bladder pressure and very frequent urges to urinate, with no infection found.
Causes
The exact cause is unknown; an alteration of the bladder's protective layer is suspected, letting urine irritate the wall.
Diagnosis
- Diagnosis by elimination after a normal urine work-up.
- Cystoscopy, sometimes with bladder distension, looking for characteristic lesions.
Treatments
There is no single treatment, but several approaches bring relief: dietary adjustments (avoiding irritant foods), oral medicines, soothing bladder instillations, pelvic physiotherapy and pain management. Follow-up takes place in urology.
With interstitial cystitis, the skin is often sensitive to moisture and friction. A thin, breathable pad, changed as soon as it is wet, catches small leaks while limiting irritation.
Educational content written for families and caregivers. It does not replace a consultation: a doctor, a continence nurse or a physiotherapist makes the diagnosis and chooses the treatment.