Symptoms
Diagnosis of BPS/IC focuses on the main symptoms and their character, beginning, duration and cause.There are many different causes of BPS/IC-like symptoms and the symptoms vary and unique between individuals from mild to disabling. Therefore symptoms need to be collected carefully and analyzed thoroughly.

Common BPS/IC Symptoms in Men

• Pain, discomfort or pressure:
  • in the bladder, penis, testis, or scrotum
  • above the pubic bone,
  • in the lower abdomen
  • in the pelvic floor
  • in the groin area
  • in the lower back
• Pain when you ejaculate or a day after ejaculation
• Frequent, sometimes painful, urination (more than 8 times per day)
• Frequent urination at night (more than 2 times per night)
• Feel the urge to urinate, sometimes even after you have emptied you bladder
• Symptoms come and go – flare ups may be associated with certain foods, allergies, and stress

Common BPS/IC symptoms in Women

• Pain, discomfort or pressure:
  • in the bladder, in the urethra, in the vagina,
  • above the pubic bone,
  • inside of the thighs,
  • in the lower abdomen,
  • in the lower back,
  • in the groin area
• Pain during or after sexual intercourse
• Frequent, sometimes painful urination (more than 8 times per day)
• Wake up more than two times at night to urinate
• Feel the urge to urinate, sometimes even after emptying the bladder
• Unresolved symptoms that resemble a urinary tract infection (UTI) that have not responded to antibiotic therapy
• Symptoms come and go – flare-ups may be associated with menstruation, certain foods, allergies and stress

Associated disorders

BPS/IC is often associated with other poorly understood medical conditions. In some patients IC may be accompanied by one or more other well defined disorders. The presence of associated disorders might suggest the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis

• Chronic prostatitis (CP)
• Fibromyalgia,
• Vulvodynia
• Endometriosis
• Irritable bowel syndromes (IBS),
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD)
• Chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CPPS)
• Chronic low back pain
• Pudendal neuralgia
• Allergy/hypersensitivity
• Sjogren’s syndrome
• Lupus erythematosus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Coeliac disease
• Multiple chemical intolerance
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• Chronic tension-type headaches
• Tempero-mandibular disorder