Skip to main content
        
        U.S. flag
                An official website of the United States government
                    Here’s how you know
                Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**
                        
                        A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                        
                        A **lock** (
                        Locked padlock icon
                        ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.Search
    Menu

        Search for Information from NIDDK
            
            Entire Site
                Research & Funding
                Health Information
                News
                About NIDDKSearch

Home
            Research & Funding
                                Expand Research & Funding
                                Current Funding Opportunities
                                                    Research Programs & Contacts
                                                    Human Subjects Research
                                                    Funding Process
                                            Research Training & Career Development
                                                    Funded Grants & Grant History
                                                    Research Resources
                                            Research at NIDDK
                                                    Technology Advancement & Transfer
                                                    Meetings & Workshops
                        Health Information
                                Expand Health Information
                                Health Topics
                                                                                                    Diabetes
                                                    Digestive Diseases
                                                    Kidney Disease
                                                    Weight Management
                                                    Liver Disease
                                                    Urologic Diseases
                                                    Endocrine Diseases
                                                    Diet & Nutrition
                                                    Blood Diseases
                                                    Diagnostic Tests
                                            La información de la salud en español
                                                    Health Statistics
                                                    Healthy Moments Radio Broadcast
                                                    Clinical Trials
                                            For Health Professionals
                                                    Diabetes Discoveries & Practice Blog
                                                    Community Health & Outreach
                        News
                                Expand News
                                News Archive
                                                    For Reporters
                                            Meetings & Workshops
                                                    Media Library
                                            Follow Us
                        About NIDDK
                                Expand About NIDDK
                                Meet the Director
                                                    Offices & Divisions
                                                    Staff Directory
                                                    Budget & Legislative Information
                                            Advisory & Coordinating Committees
                                                    Strategic Plans & Reports
                                                    Research Areas
                                                    FAQs
                                            Jobs at NIDDK
                                                    Visit Us
                                                    Contact Us Home
                    Health Information
                    Urologic Diseases
                    Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome)
                    Diagnosis

    Related Topics
    English
        English
                Español
        Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome)
        Definition & Facts
                Symptoms & Causes
                Diagnosis
                Treatment
                Eating, Diet, & Nutrition
                Clinical TrialsDiagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis
How do health care professionals diagnose IC?
Health care professionals will use your medical history, a physical exam, and lab tests to diagnose IC.
A health care professional will ask if you have a history of health problems related to IC. He or she will ask questions about your symptoms and other questions to help find the cause of your bladder problems.
If you are a woman who has IC symptoms, a health care professional may also perform a pelvic exam. During the pelvic exam, the health care professional will check your pelvic floor muscles to see if any of your painful symptoms are related to spasm in your pelvic floor muscles.
For men, a health care professional may perform a digital rectal exam to check for prostate problems and to check your pelvic floor muscles.
Doctors diagnose IC based on
pain in or near the bladder, usually with urinary frequency and urgency
    the absence of other diseases and conditions that could cause similar symptoms, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), bladder cancer, endometriosis in women, or prostatitis—infection or inflammation of the prostate—in men.What tests do doctors use to diagnose IC?
A health care professional may use the following tests to look inside your urethra and bladder, and may even take a tissue sample from inside your bladder. The health care professional will use tests to rule out certain diseases and conditions, such as UTI and bladder cancer. If the test results are normal and all other diseases and conditions are ruled out, your doctor may diagnose IC.
Urinalysis and urine culture
At the doctor’s office, you may be given a cup to take into the bathroom. A health care professional will give you instructions for collecting urine in the cup. White and red blood cells and bacteria in the urine may indicate a UTI, which can be treated with an antibiotic.
Cystoscopy
Doctors may use cystoscopy to look inside the urethra and bladder. Doctors use a cystoscope, a tubelike instrument, to look for bladder ulcers, cancer, swelling, redness, and signs of infection.
Illustration of cystoscopy. A cross-section shows the cystoscope inserted into the urethra. Fluid flows from a bag through the cystoscope to fill the bladder. The uterus, vagina, anus, and rectum are shown in the cross section.A doctor may perform a cystoscopy to diagnose interstitial cystitis (IC).        Last Reviewed July 2017
Sharethis page

Print
    Facebook
    X
    Email
    
    More Options
    
    WhatsApp
    LinkedIn
    Reddit
    Pinterest
    
    Copy Link
                *Previous:*
                Symptoms & Causes
            *Next:*
                Treatment

                This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts. Contact Us
**Hours:** 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday**Email:** healthinfo@niddk.nih.gov**Phone:** +1-800-860-8747**TTY:** +711
Chat
Live Chat Available8:30 a.m - 5 p.m. ETMonday - Friday
Follow Us
LinkedIn
X
Facebook
YouTube
InstagramNIH... Turning Discovery Into Health ®
Privacy Policy
    Freedom of Information Act
    Accessibility
    Disclaimers
    Copyright
    Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
Site Map
    For Staff Only
    Get Email Updates
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    National Institutes of Health