Patient information: Treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a disorder with symptoms of mild to severe bladder pain and an urgent and/or frequent need to urinate. Treatment of IC/BPS often depends upon a clinician’s preferences and experience in treating the disorder rather than upon scientific studies because the cause of this condition is not clear.

A number of treatments are available for IC/BPS, many of which are effective for at least some patients. Most patients with IC/BPS need to try more than one treatment, sometimes in combination, to find the one(s) that provides the greatest relief.

This topic review discusses the treatment of IC/BPS. A separate topic review discusses the symptoms and diagnosis of IC/BPS.

You can read more of this article on the Up to Date website.