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Interstitial cystitis (IC)

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Interstitial cystitis (IC)

Definition:

Interstitial cystitis is a bladder condition caused by chronic inflammation, leading to difficulties with urination.

Alternative Names:

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Cystitis - interstitial

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is an inflammation of the tissues of the bladder wall, with no known infectious (bacterial, viral, or fungal) cause. The condition is identified through a diagnosis of exclusion.

Women are 10 times more likely to be affected than men. The condition is more common in Jewish women and is rare in African-Americans.

IC generally occurs during the third or fourth decades of life. For the average person with interstitial cystitis, there is a 4-year delay between the time the first symptoms occur and the diagnosis. This demonstrates both the difficulty of diagnosis and how infrequently this condition is suspected.

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