Interstitial Cystitis (IC)
Alternate Names : Cystitis - Interstitial
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Interstitial Cystitis (IC): Treatment
There are no standard or consistently effective treatments for interstitial cystitis. Results vary from individual to individual. As long as the cause of IC is unknown, treatment is based on trial and error until relief is found.
Some of the treatments that have been tried include:
- Dilation of the bladder with fluid (hydrodistention)
- Oral medications:
- Elmiron (coats bladder like Pepto-Bismol)
- Opiates (Nalmefene)
- Psychiatric medications like Elavil or Vistarul (may have a pain-relieving effect, also helpful for psychiatric conditions like depression which often accompany this disorder)
- Intravesical therapy (instillation into the bladder) of medications such as dimethyl sulfoxide, heparin, clorpactin, lidocaine, doxorubicin, or BCG vaccine
- Surgery, ranging from cystoscopic manipulation to cystectomy (removal of the bladder)
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