New York residents may be interested in learning more about a troublesome bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis or “painful bladder syndrome.” While many people, including physicians, are unfamiliar with the condition, it is a disease that affects roughly 3 percent of women and 1 percent of men throughout the world. However, because many people who suffer from interstitial cystitis are often wrongly diagnosed, the numbers could be significantly higher.
New York residents may be interested in learning more about a troublesome bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis or “painful bladder syndrome.” While many people, including physicians, are unfamiliar with the condition, it is a disease that affects roughly 3 percent of women and 1 percent of men throughout the world. However, because many people who suffer from interstitial cystitis are often wrongly diagnosed, the numbers could be significantly higher.
People with interstitial cystitis have multiple symptoms that include persistent and severe pelvic pain as well as an urgent need to urinate frequently. In many cases, physicians misdiagnose the condition as an overactive bladder or bladder infection because of similar symptoms.
The disease is also hard to pinpoint because it does not show up on urine or blood tests. Therefore, doctors must look into the patient’s medical background to learn about the condition. Testing via bladder or kidney ultrasounds could also prove helpful. Although the real cause of the disease is still unknown, some think that allergies trigger the symptoms. Others blame it on poor bladder tissue or autoimmune conditions that cause the body’s immune system to attack the bladder. Another theory is that an inflammatory cell within the body, known as a mast cell, discharges histamine and additional chemicals that cause the various symptoms.
Because of the complexities of this condition, there are various types of treatment available. Some of the treatments include medication, bladder instillation therapy, surgery and Botox injections.
When a person suffers from a medical condition such as interstitial cystitis and develops further injuries or physical complications because of a misdiagnosis, the doctor could be held liable for damages. People in such circumstances might want to confer with a lawyer who handles medical malpractice claims to learn how they can pursue damages.
Source: Star 2, “This is a bladder problem you really should know about,” Dr. Warren Lo Hwa Loon, July 24, 2016
