Suffer from interstitial cystitis? Acupuncture can help

The urinary system, also known as the renal system or urinary tract comprises kidneys (two), ureters (two), bladder and urethra. Urine is formed in the kidneys and then passed through the ureters to the bladder where it is stored. When the bladder is not full of urine, the bladder is relaxed. When the bladder is getting full, it will let the brain know the need to pass urine. If the bladder is working normally, one can put off urination for some time. If there is something that goes wrong with the bladder, urination change is a sign of it.

Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a chronic bladder condition. It is a feeling of pain and pressure in the bladder area and the symptoms have lasted for more than 6 weeks, without having an infection or other clear causes. Symptoms range from mild to severe. For some patients the symptoms may come and go, and for others they don't go away. The pain may be worse when the bladder is full and may be temporarily relieved after urination. The pain could be worse during periods or after having certain foods or drinks. IC/BPS is not an infection, but it may feel like a bladder infection. Women with IC/BPS may feel pain when having sex. This condition is poorly understood. Apart from the pain, it is also accompanied with problems of urination, such as sudden, strong urges to urinate, more frequent urination than normal, pain when passing water, waking up quite a few times during the night to urinate. The exact cause of interstitial cystitis isn't clear. Unlike other types of cystitis, there's no obvious infection in the bladder and antibiotics don't help.

I help people with interstitial cystitis with acupuncture. A patient told me that it is a nice feeling of standing on the beach without having to go to toilet.