Foods to Avoid with Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial Cystitis is a chronic bladder disorder that causes severe pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic region. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding, urinary frequency and urgency, pressure in the pelvic area, burning upon urination, bladder spasms, and an inflamed and irritated bladder. Other symptoms include muscle pain, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, and allergic reactions. There has been a possible connection linked between other chronic illnesses like Fibromyalgia but that too is still unexplained. Unfortunately, the cause of Interstitial Cystitis is unknown and there currently is not a cure.

Because Interstitial Cystitis is a chronic illness, the patient will have times where symptoms will wax and wane. In the beginning of the illness, symptoms tend to persist severely for up to the first year, then taper off somewhat. There are exceptions to the rule and there are IC patients who never see a tapering off of symptoms.

As with any other illness, diet is a big part of controlling the symptoms and decreasing any irritation to the bladder. In Interstitial Cystitis patients, the bladder has Hunner's ulcers, which are hemorrhages on the bladder wall. If the bladder is already bleeding and irritated, the patient needs to avoid foods and drinks that can cause further inflammation. Unfortunately, at first patients learn the hard way what they should and should not eat and drink. When the illness is in the beginning stages, there may be a period of time where even drinking pure water causes severe pain.

Once you have eliminated foods that irritate your bladder and they have been out of your diet for a while, you may find that later you can reintroduce some of these foods slowly back into your lifestyle. The key is always moderation and to not overdo any of the foods that can cause your symptoms to return.

Elimination Diets