Discover the best interstitial cystitis self-care tips in this comprehensive guide.
Find home remedies and medicines for bladder pain from IC.
However, there are many ways to manage it.
The following things may help keep flares in check.
But keep in mind: Different patients may find relief from different techniques, Dr. Clifton says.
So if one strategy doesnt work for you, dont get discouraged: Try another.
director of women’s health in theBrady Urological Instituteat Johns Hopkins Medicine
Through trial and error, youll learn what your body responds to best.
Practice stress-management techniques
You might notice your IC flares up when youre feeling super stressed.
Stress can heighten pain sensitivity in general, Dr. Clifton says.
Both doctors and patients should be mindful of stressors that may trigger symptoms, she says.
You may also find talking to a therapist a helpful tool as well, Dr. Clifton says.
Get proper sleep
Your body needs quality sleep to function at its best.
And when it comes to managing IC, theres no exception.
For one, following aconsistent sleep schedulecan prevent fatigue.
Decreasing fatigue can help with perceived pain and bladder symptoms, Dr. Clifton says.
director of women’s health in theBrady Urological Instituteat Johns Hopkins Medicine
In fact, there seems to be a link between chronic sleep problems and urinary symptoms.
When patients have difficulty falling or remaining asleep, bladder symptoms can be heightened, she says.
Secondly, routine sleep practices help with overall stress, Dr. Clifton says.
And as we know, stress management is key to symptom management for people with IC.
Regular physical activity can help:
All of these benefits are important when managing IC symptoms.
Just stick to low-impact exercise like walking or yoga.
High-impact [exercise] or extreme weightlifting can worsen symptoms, Dr. Clifton says.
Especially if your form is off.
This can put undue stress on muscles near your bladder.
Muscle and tendon injuries can result in strain to surrounding structures and aggravate muscle tension, she says.
Moral of the story: Let your belly breathe.
Sitz baths can help relax tense muscles that can be contributing to symptoms, Dr. Clifton says.
Because theyre relaxing, theyre also good for reducing anxiety and stress, she says.
Not a big fan of baths?
Use a warmheating padinstead.
Just dont keep it in one place for too long.
Get a massage
A relaxing rubdown can help reduce IC symptoms as well.
Stress can affect your whole body, including your nerves and muscles.
Massage, and specifically myofascial release, can be incredibly important in improving symptoms, Dr. Clifton says.
Not only does massage decrease overall stress, but it can also target specific areas of muscle tension.
This is exactly what a small June 2022 study in theCanadian Journal of Urology1concluded.
Howacupuncture relieves pain is still not fully understood.
Alternatively, Western medical providers theorize that acupuncture promotes your bodys natural painkillers.
Thats why its essential that these muscles are working well.
One way to do that is byseeing a pelvic floor physical therapist.
Having an expert physical therapist guide patients through the correct relaxation exercises is imperative, Dr. Clifton says.
They can also release painful scars that may be contributing to symptoms, she adds.
These types of exercise can worsen bladder symptoms.
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
This means you may be running to the bathrooma lot.
Bladder training is a behavior therapy that aims to help you hold your pee longer.
Bladder training can be very helpful for patients with IC, Dr. Clifton says.
Eventually, the goal is to increase the amount of time between bathroom breaks.
While bladder training can be effective, you might need a little guidance along the way.
As the saying goes, it takes a village.
So, say you see an OB/GYN to manage your endometriosis.
Tell them about your IC symptoms and connect them with your urologist.
Together, they can come up with a plan to best help you.
Other treatment options for IC
Sometimes lifestyle and self-care habits wont cut it.
In these cases, you still have many options for treating IC.
The first step is seeing your provider for a proper diagnosis.
Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium)
TheFDAapproved this medicine specifically for treating IC.
For some, TENS eases bladder pain and urinary frequency and urgency.
These nerves are stimulated through electrical impulses that are sent to your bladder.
While sacral nerve stimulation wont lessen pain, it may help relieve some symptoms of urinary frequency and urgency.
Bladder instillation of medicine
Your provider will insert a catheter in your urethra up to your bladder.
Theyll then fill your bladder with a mixture of medications to help alleviate symptoms.
This increases the volume of pee your bladder can contain.
This paralyzes the muscles and helps alleviate pain.
They can do tests to rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms.
FAQs
Is drinking a lot of water good for interstitial cystitis?
It depends on the person.
Some patients have worsened bladder symptoms when they drink large volumes of fluid, Dr. Clifton says.
In these cases, more H2O means more painful bathroom trips.
When your pee is less concentrated, it might be less irritating to the bladder.
What aggravates interstitial cystitis?
Most people with IC notice that certain foods lead to flares, like the ones we listed above.
Along with foods, certain habits can exacerbate IC.
For example, smoking can worsen IC symptoms, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
You may have heard that drinking cranberry juice can help people with recurrent UTIs.
However, there is no data demonstrating that cranberry juice will help with IC, Dr. Clifton says.
Acupuncture for female bladder pain syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
2022 Jun;29(3):11154-11161.
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