Urology
Our skilled urologists offer comprehensive, compassionate treatment and personalized solutions for urological conditions.
Your bladder stores all of your urine before you use the restroom. Usually, when your bladder gets full, nerves near your bladder send signals to your brain to tell you that you need to urinate.
However, if the nerves signal your brain at the wrong times—such as when your bladder is not full—you may have a condition called interstitial cystitis. Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition, meaning it doesn't go away. However, treatments can be used to ease symptoms. Doctors don't know what causes interstitial cystitis.
Symptoms of interstitial cystitis can resemble symptoms of urinary tract infections, urinary incontinence or an enlarged prostate. The most common symptoms include:
Because of its symptoms, interstitial cystitis is also sometimes called painful bladder syndrome.
Women with interstitial cystitis sometimes have worse symptoms around the time of their periods. Certain foods, such as alcoholic beverages, caffeinated drinks, spicy foods or acidic foods can make symptoms worse, too.
Your doctor will first make sure that you don;t have other conditions. You may have a urine test to check for infections or a cystoscopy to examine your bladder. During a cystoscopy, the doctor inserts a thin tube with a camera on the end into your bladder to look for damage.
While there's not currently a cure for interstitial cystitis, your doctor can help you find treatments to ease your symptoms. Treatment options include:
Our skilled urologists offer comprehensive, compassionate treatment and personalized solutions for urological conditions.