Interstitial Cystitis

Alternative names:

cystitis - interstitial

Symptoms:

• urinary frequency (there can be a need to urinate as often as 60 or 70 times each day)
• urinary urgency
• urinary discomfort
• pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)

Signs and tests:

Diagnosis is made by ruling-out other causes such as bladder infection, sexually-transmitted disease, bladder cancer, vaginal infection, endometriosis, or other causes. After these have been ruled-out, a cystoscopy is then performed. The characteristic finding of interstitial cystitis is pinpoint bleeding (hemorrhage) in the lining of the bladder.

Sometimes, a biopsy of the bladder wall is helpful to confirm the presence of interstitial cystitis.