Welcome to the Kitchener-Waterloo Interstitial Cystitis Support website. We are a new, local group beginning in the summer of 2008. It is our intention to provide:
- Useful IC information through sharing our experiences, current literature, and occasional guest speakers for related issues.
- Personal empowerment and public awareness through meaningful group discussion/activities devoted to the IC cause.
- Support and friendship for each other and our loved ones from those who truly understand your battles with this disease.
We welcome all types of chronic, pelvic pain sufferers, as well as their loved ones and caregivers.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC) - also known as painful bladder syndrome, is a chronic, painful, inflammatory condition of the bladder wall that affects over one million people - women, men, and children - in the United States. Although its cause is unknown and there is no cure, there are many available treatment options to help relieve symptoms. Although IC is considerably less well-known, it is as common as Parkinson's disease or Type I diabetes.
Symptoms - Some or all of these symptoms may be present:
Frequency - Day and/or night frequency of urination (up to 60 times a day in severe cases). In early or very mild cases, frequency is sometimes the only symptom.
Urgency - The sensation of having to urinate immediately, which may also be accompanied by pain, pressure or spasms.
Pain - Can be in the lower abdominal, urethral or vaginal area. Pain is also frequently associated with sexual intercourse. Men with IC may experience testicular, scrotal and/or perineal pain, and painful ejaculation.
Other Disorders - Some patients also report muscle and joint pain, migraines, allergic reactions and gastrointestinal problems, as well as the more common symptoms of IC described above. It appears that IC has an as yet unexplained association with certain other chronic diseases and pain syndromes such as vulvar vestibulitis, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. Many IC patients, however, have only bladder symptoms.1
1Interstitial Cystitis Association [April 2008, www.ichelp.org]
519.896.1778