How can I tell the difference between a interstitial cystitis flare up and a bladder infection?
I had interstitial cystitis about a year ago, but now I am having similar symptoms again. I am taking Dyflucan for systematic candidiasis, whih I started taking recently. Medications can tend to flar up the IC, but I also had a bladder infection recently and this feels similar. Besides going to the doc, is there another way to distinguish between the two?
Many people suffer from different bladder conditions but it can be hard to tell if the difference between Interstitial Cystitis and a bladder infection. Often times, people are too quick to label the problem as a bladder infection without getting the proper diagnosis. Let’s take a look at the differences between IC and bladder infections, to help you better understand the problem you are having.
IC or Interstitial Cystitis is when the bladder becomes inflamed. This can be caused by an autoimmune disease such as lupus, scleroderma or fibromyalgia or it can be a stand alone condition with no known cause. Some of the symptoms that you may experience with Interstitial Cystitis (IC) include bladder frequency, very painful bladder spasms, low bladder capacity, and sometimes even incontinence. Many times people that suffer with IC often go miss-diagnosed. Many doctors diagnose the problems as a common bladder infection. Doctors have even diagnosed such symptoms as stemming from emotional problems.
Now let’s take a look at what a bladder infection is all about. A bladder infection is also known as a urinary tract infection or UTI. It’s caused from bacteria and is a bacterial infection that affects any part or all of the urinary tract. Many get confused as urine contains many bi products of waste from our bodies but none of which is bacteria. Urine can contain many different fluids such as waste products, water and salt, all of which are bacteria free. When bacteria get into the bladder it multiplies fast in the urine and causes a bladder infection.
There are many different symptoms that come with a bladder infection. An urgent need to urinate is perhaps one of the main symptoms that characterize a bladder infection. The bladder will feel full and you will feel pressure as if you have to urinate immediately and quite frequently. Many also feel a pain or burning sensation when they empty their bladder and often times little to no urine actually come out. Some people may even be able to see the bacteria in the urine as the urine will appear cloudy and can have a foul odor. A fever may also be present.
Hope you feel better. : )
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Sorry I can’t help answer your question regarding distinguishing the two but perhaps this can help the discomfort! Good luck!