The question that many pain patients face when contemplating exercise is “will it help or hurt?” The evidence is overwhelming in favor of the former. Exercise can lift the spirits, alleviate depression and trigger the release of our bodies natural pain killers, endorphins. Many patients feel that regular exercise helps relieve symptoms thus requiring the [...]
IC patients often experience their most uncomfortable symptoms at night when distractions are fewer and they notice their bladder symptoms more. They may feel a constant need to urinate or an uncomfortable sensation of bladder fullness that is very difficult to ignore. Getting up once or twice a night might be manageable but having more [...]
In the 2022 AUA Treatment Guidelines, major surgery (cystoplasty, cystectomy) is rarely suggested as a treatment for IC/BPS and only in a very small, select group of patients who have exhausted all other therapies and whose symptoms are directly caused by the bladder. Neuropathic pain, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction will not improve with surgery. It is best [...]
Approximately 15% of IC patients have profound, extremely painful areas of inflammation in the bladder wall known as Hunner’s Lesions (formerly Hunner's Ulcers). These larger, bleeding wounds in the bladder represent the most severe form of interstitial cystitis and bladder pain syndrome. Research released in 2014 (Van Der AA, et al. ) found that Hunner's lesions [...]
Interstitial cystitis patients often find intimacy uncomfortable at times. Men with IC may feel discomfort at the moment of ejaculation while women report their most intense discomfort in the 24 hours after sex. Why? Well, it's primarily about the pelvic floor. Men experience their strongest pelvic floor contraction when they ejaculate while women experience about [...]
Drug Assistance Programs Can Help Patients Struggling To Pay For Treatment There is no doubt that the cost of treating interstitial cystitis and bladder pain syndrome are increasing. Elmiron®, the only FDA approved oral medication for IC, can cost some patients more than $1500 per month. (Elmiron® is now linked to retinal disease and blindness). [...]
There is no doubt that stress can trigger an increase in our symptoms, aka an IC flare. Physical stressors (traveling, holding urine for a long period of time or exposure to extreme heat or cold) can trigger pain and discomfort, often in the form of pelvic floor tension and spasms. Emotional stress (arguments, a death [...]
TikTok Video @icnetworkjill iC Awareness Daily Fact 4 The great majority of IC patients have tight pelvic floor muscles which causes ischemia.. and can trigger bladder, prostate, vulvar and rectal pain. #ictok #icawareness #pelvicfloor ♬ original sound - IC Network Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Pelvic floor dysfunction (aka hypertonic, tense muscles) is now a distinct subtype [...]
TikTok Video @icnetworkjill IC Awareness Daily Fact 3 - IC is a pelvic pain syndrome and for many of us, it’s not a bladder disease. #ictok #icawareness #pelvicpain ♬ original sound - IC Network What's New in Updated 2022 AUA Guidelines In 2022, the American Urological Association revised their Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment [...]
TikTok Video @icnetworkjillIC Awareness Daily Fact 2 - 5 to 10 percent of IC patients have Hunner’s lesions and they often suffer for years. There is hope. Learn about treatments at icnetwork.org♬ original sound - IC Network Hunner's Lesions Hunner's lesions represent a distinct, small patient group with an estimated 5 - 10% of [...]