The American Urological Association has published recommendations aimed at guiding physicians in recognizing interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), conducting a valid diagnostic process, and treating patients by maximizing symptom control and minimizing adverse effects. The guideline defines IC/BPS as an unpleasant sensation perceived to be related to the urinary bladder that is ...

BACKGROUND Interstitial cystitis is characterized by over 6 months of chronic pain, pressure and discomfort felt in the lower pelvis or bladder. It is often relieved with voiding, along with daytime frequency and nocturia in the absence of a urinary tract infection. Interstitial cystitis occurs primarily in females including adolescents and its diagnosis is still one of exclusion. It is now rec...

Hypothesis / aims of study Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a disease characterized by bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms including bladder hypersensitivity, urinary frequency and bladder pain, which severely impair patient’s quality of life. However, pathophysiology of IC remains unclear despite the struggle for the development of new biomarkers to diagnose IC and effective therapeutic inter...

Clinicians: Please make multiple copies of this Patient Education Sheet and distribute to your patients. Interstitial cystitis (also known as IC) is a chronic bladder condition that usually consists of recurring pelvic pain, pressure, or discomfort in the bladder and pelvic region, urinary frequency (needing to go often) and urgency (feeling a strong need to go). IC also may be referred to as p...

Objective(s):We investigated the relationship between the expression of tumor necrosis factor-inducible gene 6 (TSG-6) with inflammation and integrity of the bladder epithelium in the bladder tissues of patients with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) and the mechanism of action using a rat model of BPS/IC.   Materials and Methods: Expression of TSG-6 and uroplakin III was det...

Nerve growth factor (NGF) has been suggested to play a role in bladder pain by mediating inflammation (12) and functional changes in sensory and sympathetic neurons innervating the urinary bladder (5). Clinically, diseases such as interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) have been associated with elevated urinary levels of NGF (10) and the urothelium of individuals with IC/PBS pr...

UNLABELLED Anecdotal evidence suggests that chronic bladder pain improves while breastfeeding. The present study sought to identify potential mechanisms for such a phenomenon by investigating the effects of the lactogenic hormones prolactin (PL) and oxytocin (OXY) in a rat model of bladder nociception. Lactating rats were less sensitive to urinary bladder distension (UBD) than controls. In inve...