Cystitis attacks

Imagine having to nip to the loo to urinate every 30 minutes and then spending nights constantly on 'loo-watch.' And even when you have gone, the urge to urinate quickly returns, sometimes accompanied by pain.

This is what life is like for sufferers of interstitial cystitis (IC), a condition that can intrude upon every area of life, making jobs and relationships difficult to manage. 'Many IC sufferers find that their life revolves around knowing where the nearest toilet is,' says Anthony Walker, chief executive of the Interstitial Cystitis Support Group. 'They also suffer from insomnia, depression and excessive fatigue.'

But what is it?
Interstitial means 'inside the tissue' and is a chronic inflammation of the bladder thought to affect around 400,000 people in the UK, most of them women. It shares many symptoms with common or bacterial cystitis. The main difference is that sufferers from bacterial cystitis - a urinary tract infection - usually experience acute pain on urinating, whereas those with IC find passing water brings temporary relief. It is when the bladder refills that the discomfort starts again.

The two conditions are often confused by GPs, with the result that it can take six years to get a diagnosis. IC is not caused by bacteria and its symptoms are therefore not relieved by antibiotics, which is the usual treatment for bacterial cystitis.

What causes it?
The causes of IC are not fully understood, though there may be a genetic element. The first attack is sometimes triggered by an abdominal 'insult' such as a hysterectomy, a Caesarean section or sterilisation. Some people find that the symptoms are worse after sexual intercourse and before their period.

Patients who experience the symptoms of cystitis but show no sign of a bacterial infection should ask to see a urologist. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that the earlier the condition is treated, the better it responds - presumably because less damage has been done to the bladder.