Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS) and acupuncture

Bladder is a urinary tract organ located in the pelvis 9lower abdomen). It is s storage of urine in the body. When the bladder is full, it sends signal to the brain to let one know there is a need to pass urine. When ready, the brain sends a signal to the bladder and the bladder muscles will contract and push the urine out through urethra. At the same time sphincters in urethra relax to help urine out. If something goes wrong with bladder, it can cause bladder pain. Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a chronic bladder health issue. It is a feeling of pain and pressure in the bladder area for more than 6 weeks without 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. IC/BPS is not an infection, but it may feel like a bladder infection.

The symptoms of IC/BPS vary for each patient, but the most common sign is pain in the bladder. Patients with IC/BPS may have bladder pain that gets worse as the bladder fills. Some patients feel pain in other areas, such as the urethra, lower abdomen, lower back, or the pelvic or perineal area (in women, behind the vagina and in men, behind the scrotum). Women may feel pain in the vulva or the vagina, and men may feel the pain in the scrotum, testicle, or penis.

Another common symptom is urinary frequency. Frequency is the need to pass urine more often than normal. A patient with IC/BPS often has to urinate frequently both day and night, though the average person urinates no more than 7 times a day and does not have to get up at night more than once to use the bathroom.

Urgency to urinate is also a common IC/BPS symptom. Some patients feel an urge that never goes away, even right after voiding. A patient may not notice or see this as a problem. Physical or mental stress can make the symptoms worse.

Some people with IC/BPS have other health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other pain syndromes. IC/BPS can affect daily life, social life, exercise and sleep, and relationships and can cause a great deal of distress. Without treatment, IC/BPS symptoms make it hard to get through the day or even be able to work. Both women and men can have IC/BPS, though there are 2-3 times more common in women than in men.

Acupuncture can help reduce bladder pain and reduce frequency and urgency of IC/BPS. Recent research provided preliminary evidence for this.