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Section: Interstitial cystitis (list 3)
Treatment - medication (Amitriptyline)
Amitriptyline can reduce symptoms in patients with IC/PBS. Patient overall satisfaction with the therapeutic result of amitriptyline was excellent or good in 46%.Section: Interstitial cystitis
Other articles from the section: Interstitial cystitis
Treatment - bladder distension
Bladder distension (a procedure which stretches the bladder capacity, done under general anaesthesia) has shown some success in reducing urinary frequency and giving pain relief to patients. However, many experts still cannot understand precisely how this can cause pain relief. Recent studies showing that pressure on pelvic trigger points can relieve symptoms may be connected. Unfortunately, the relief achieved by bladder distensions is only temporary (weeks or months) and consequently, it is not really viable as a long-term treatment for ...Section: Interstitial cystitis
Symptoms
The symptoms of IC/PBS are often misdiagnosed as a "common" bladder infection (cystitis) or a UTI. However IC/PBS has not been shown to be caused by a bacterial infection, and the mis-prescribed treatment of antibiotics is ineffective. The symptoms of IC/PBS may also initially be attributed to prostatitis and epididymitis (in men) and endometriosis and uterine fibroids (in women). The most common symptom of IC/PBS is ...Section: Interstitial cystitis
Causes
The cause of IC/PBS is unknown, though several theories have been put forward (these include autoimmune, neurologic, allergic and genetic). Regardless of the origin, it is clear that the majority of IC/PBS patients struggle with a damaged urothelium, or bladder lining. When the surface glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer is damaged (via a urinary tract infection (UTI), excessive consumption of coffee or sodas, traumatic injury, etc.), urinary chemicals can "leak" into surrounding tissues, causing pain, inflammation, and urinary symptoms. Oral medications like Elmiron and ...Section: Interstitial cystitis