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 [...]
TikTok @icnetworkjill IC Awareness Fact 1 - Millions of men, women and children suffer of all ages! This is not a womans disease. #ictok #abuseawareness ♬ original sound - IC Network Millions Struggle With IC/BPS Symptoms Interstitial cystitis is a pelvic pain condition that affects millions around the world. In the USA, epidemiological studies [...]
Is it safe to drink wine when you have interstitial cystitis (IC), bladder pain syndrome (BPS) or chronic prostatitis? If you're actively in a flare or have Hunner's lesions, drinking wine would be foolish because alcohol on any tender tissue or open wound would sting. However, when your urinary symptoms have improved, it may be [...]
If you're wondering if you can have a baby after a diagnosis of IC, take heart! Thousands of IC patients have had successful pregnancies and children. The most common question asked by potential mothers is "Will my IC get worse during a pregnancy?" In our experience, some IC patients go into remission or experience a [...]
Got Anxiety AND IC? You are not alone! Do you struggle with anxiety disorder? Catastrophic thinking? Chronic overlapping pain conditions (IC, IBS, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, TMJ, migraines, etc.)? New research from the Chronic Pain Research Alliance has identified that these patients struggle with a central nervous system maladaption (aka injury) that has left the brain in [...]
Interstitial Cystitis (IC/BPS) affects men of all ages, from high school students to seniors, air force pilots to Hollywood actors. Many, if not most, have been misdiagnosed with chronic prostatitis, often for years, before they receive a correct diagnosis. You might also be surprised to learn that IC/BPS has been tracked in high numbers [...]
Patients with more severe IC who are unable to work may apply for disability benefits. In the USA, there are four different types of disability insurance. Private Disability Insurance Private Disability Insurance is usually obtained through your employer if they offer disability benefits. In general, private disability insurance kicks in one you meet the criteria [...]
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome can suffer from chronic diarrhea, chronic constipation and/or a combination of both. One hallmark symptom is intense cramping, often occurring after eating a problem food or beverage containing caffeine, MSG or chocolate. Constipation can also be a side effect of many medications used for IC, particularly pain medications, [...]
(By Jill Heidi Osborne, ICN President) It's hard enough to face pelvic pain as an adult, but can you imagine being a young child who can't sleep through the night, can't sit through class and who may not be believed by their families or doctors? Children as young as three years old have been diagnosed with [...]
If there was one common dream among IC patients, it's working with a knowledgeable and compassionate doctor who could treat all of their pelvic ills: the bladder, the pelvic floor, the bowel and, of course, the reproductive tract. Thankfully, a small but growing number of urologists and urogynecologists are moving in that direction, adding physical [...]