What Can I Drink For Interstitial Cystitis & Does IC Causes Bloating?

Interstitial cystitis is a type of chronic bladder condition, which causes pain and discomfort in the pelvic region or urinary bladder. The walls of the bladder become irritated and inflamed to make the bladder highly sensitive.⁽¹⁾

If you experience urinary pain and/or inflammation, which last for about 6weeks or even more without kidney stones or any other infection, you may suffer from interstitial cystitis.⁽²⁾

Approximately 90percent of women suffer from the problem of interstitial cystitis, while about 3percent to 6percent of adult women have IC in some form. On average, individuals start experiencing problems related to interstitial cystitis during 40years of age. The risk increases as the person become old.⁽³⁾

We all know that interstitial cystitis is a type of bacterial infection i.e. urinary tract infection. Hence, urologists and other doctors recommend you to stay hydrated yourself with the following types of fluids.

Consume Water In Enough Amounts As Possible: Drinking enough amount of water lets you diluting your urine and makes sure that urinate frequently. This helps in flushing out the harmful bacteria from the urinary tract before any infection starts.⁽⁴⁾

Urologists have found a closed link between the hydration statuses of a person with his/her risk to suffer from urinary tract infection. The reason for this is that regular urination helps in flushing out the bacteria from the urinary tract and thereby, avoids infection. A research study conducted on patients using urinary catheters for a long time highlighted that low urine output was a prime risk factor related to UTI development.

Another study justified that low intake of fluids and infrequent urination was responsible to cause recurrent UTIs. Along with this, approximately 28 women self-monitored the hydration status with the help of a probe for measuring their urine concentration. These women found that an increase in hydration or water intake results in a significant decrease in the frequency of urinary tract infection. Hence, to keep yourself well hydrated and fulfill the fluid requirements, you should drink water during the whole day and always whenever you feel thirsty.⁽⁵⁾

Drinking Unsweetened Cranberry Juice: Along with consuming plenty of water, drinking unsweetened cranberry juice is an excellent natural remedy to deal with urinary tract infections. Cranberry juice performs its functions by preventing the adherence of bacteria towards the urinary tract and thereby, avoids any type of infection.

According to the latest research study, women, who have histories related to urinary tract infections, consumed about 8 ounces or 240ml of cranberry juice daily for 24weeks. These women have relatively fewer numbers of UIT episodes as compared to the control group. Another research study revealed that the consumption of cranberry products lower the number of bacterial infections in one year, especially for women experiencing UITs recurrently.⁽⁶⁾

Yes, patients suffering from interstitial cystitis suffer from bloating i.e. swelling of the belly problems. In this case, distention and excessive abdominal gas may make your symptoms related to IC worse. Gas builds up in the gastrointestinal tract because of having foods, which tend to produce gas and thereby, cause bloating and pain.⁽⁷⁾
Furthermore, interstitial cystitis is a type of urinary tract infection i.e. infection caused in any part of the human’s urinary system, like ureters, kidneys, bladder, and urethra i.e. the tube connecting the bladder.

UTIs mainly involves the lower portion of the urinary tract i.e. urethra and bladder, while women are likely to develop UTI as compared to men, as they have short urethra. A short distance between the external bacterial environment and the bladder makes women prone to urine infections. If urinary tract infections spread to kidneys, it may cause vomiting and back pain, which leads to bloating problems. Because of this, bloating is a major symptom related to urinary tract infections.⁽⁸⁾

Based on the aforementioned facts, we should say that increase in water intake and raw cranberry juice in enough amounts will help you to avoid interstitial cystitis and other types of urinary tract infections. Furthermore, we also say that IC causes bloating, as urinary tract infections, including IC, spread to kidneys, which lead to bloating problems.

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Also Read:

• What is Bladder Pain Syndrome or Interstitial Cystitis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications
• Treatment for Bladder Pain Syndrome or Interstitial Cystitis: Surgery, Recovery, Home Remedies
• Can You Live A Normal Life With Interstitial Cystitis & Coping Methods For It?
• How Can You Tell The Difference Between UTI & Interstitial Cystitis?
• How Do You Calm An Interstitial Cystitis Flare Up & How Long Do The Flares Last?
• Is Cranberry Juice Good For Interstitial Cystitis & What About Bananas & Hummus?
• What Foods Aggravate Interstitial Cystitis & What Foods Calm It?