The management of interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome in women.

Interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome is a chronic, often debilitating, condition largely defined by symptoms of urinary urgency and frequency associ‐ ated with pelvic pain that varies with bladder filling.1 Unlike bladder inflammation caused by bacterial infec‐ tion, the condition occurs in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology. Resulting discomfort may range from abdominal tenderness to intense pain. This difficult clinical entity has prompted debate with regard to definition, aetiology, and best methods of treatment. This review discusses the diag‐ nosis and management of interstitial cystitis according to current best evidence. Few Oxford scale levels 1 and 2 evidence based research studies in interstitial cystitis are available because of the ethical difficulties in con‐ ducting randomised trials in this area. We have there‐ fore referred to evidence that represents the majority opinion of researchers as being clinically relevant.