The Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index and the Problem Index are questionnaires that are valid and reliable and useful in the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.(1)
Silver nitrate is used in interstitial cystitis for its caustic, antiseptic, and astringent qualities.(1)
How Long Will It Take To Recover From Interstitial Cystitis?
Interstitial cystitis is not a well-defined entity and its symptoms also vary considerably. It presents as an acute condition in most of the cases if not all and many times patients can pinpoint the period at which the symptoms started. Symptoms of this condition also vary according to the severity and nature.
Due to its variability, the exact period of recovery from this condition is not feasible to be commented upon. Sometimes it can get automatically cured without any treatment or intervention as the body has an extraordinary gift of getting healed by time. According to almost all of the studies conducted on interstitial cystitis, it is concluded that nearly 50% of all the cases diagnosed with this condition get recovered by themselves in a median period of 8 months. Although the period of recovery is spread in the range of 2 months to many years.(2)
If the condition is treated with medical or surgical intervention then the symptoms can get relieved within few days to a week and patients can even go in complete remission but permanent recovery is usually not there.(3) Bladder hydrodistention can provide immediate relief from the symptoms of interstitial cystitis but is also associated with the traumatic rupture of the bladder in a few cases.
How Long Does The Symptoms Last?
The exact period of duration of the symptoms is hard to predict because it is a chronic disease with progressive nature. Sometimes it may stretch from many years to a lifetime where the symptoms remain lifelong and adversely affects the quality of life of the person.
Interstitial cystitis is characterized by variable periods of symptoms and their severity which can come in the form of flare-ups and remission episodes. Sometimes it may remain asymptomatic for months and years before some exacerbating factor makes it symptomatic and the condition gets flared up.
There are many cases in which the symptoms persisted for months and years unrelentless and then the patient went into remission suddenly without any relapse. Although on an average symptom of this condition remains there for nearly eight months as a median period in about half of the cases. It is also noted that the symptoms may also vary with the menstrual cycle of the female as the condition is more common in females. Therefore, it is very difficult to comment upon the time duration for which the symptoms would last in a particular case because the average period can be applied to a population and not on a single case.(1)
Conclusion
The timeline of both, persistence of the disease and recovery of the disease is very much difficult to be predicted because of its chronic nature and self-limiting phenomena. The period may vary from a week to even lifetime with the severity of the symptoms being a different parameter to assess. Medical treatment along with certain procedures are found to be very effective in relieving the symptoms and limiting the effect of this condition on the patient’s quality of life.
It is very much prudent to seek medical attention as soon as the symptoms are encountered first to minimize the effect of condition and to reduce its severity also.
Ignorance of the condition would not do any good for the patient because it will progress gradually.
Also Read:
- What Foods Aggravate Interstitial Cystitis & What Foods Calm It?
- Does Interstitial Cystitis Worsen With Age & Can IC Go Into Remission?
- Can You Have Back Pain With Interstitial Cystitis & Does IC Cause Fatigue?
- Does Interstitial Cystitis Progressively Get Worse & Does Ibuprofen Make It Worse?
- What Is End-Stage Interstitial Cystitis & What Is The Best Treatment For IC?
- Can Bladder Cancer Be Mistaken For Interstitial Cystitis?
- What Is The Difference Between Cystitis & Interstitial Cystitis?
