Interstitial Cystitis

I want to direct your attention now to a cause which is near and dear to me -- finding a cure for interstitial cystitis, or IC. I have a dear, dear friend who has suffered with IC for many years and it's a vicious, secret kind of suffering.

My friend BlogDog at Pugs Of War is also crusading for a cure; he's the one who inspired me to post about it.

What is IC?

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder. Its cause is unknown. "Common" cystitis, also known as a urinary tract infection, is caused by bacteria and is usually successfully treated with antibiotics. Unlike common cystitis, IC is believed not to be caused by bacteria and does not respond to conventional antibiotic therapy. It is important to note that IC is not a psychosomatic disorder nor is it caused by stress.

IC can affect people of any age, race or sex. It is, however, most commonly found in women. Recent epidemiological data suggest that there may be greater than 700,000 cases of IC in the US.

Hopefully now that there's an increased interest in IC among researchers, more successful treatment regimens can be found to eliminate IC or at least control it.