 interstitial cystitis,   or bladder pain syndrome (also ic/bps), is a chronic inflammatory condition of the submucosal and muscular layers of the bladder. the cause of ic/bps is currently unknown and the condition is regarded as a diagnosis of exclusion. ic/bps may be associated with urinary urgency, urinary frequency, waking at night to urinate (nocturia), and sterile urine cultures. those with interstitial cystitis may have symptoms that overlap with other urinary bladder disorders such as: urinary tract infection (uti), overactive bladder, urethritis, urethral syndrome, and prostatitis. ic/bps can result in a quality of life comparable to that of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic cancer pain, or a patient on kidney dialysis. ==signs and symptoms== the symptoms of ic/bps are often misdiagnosed as a urinary tract infection. however, ic/bps has not been shown to be caused by a bacterial infection and antibiotics are an ineffective treatment. the symptoms of ic/bps may also initially be attributed to prostatitis and epididymitis (in men) and endometriosis and uterine fibroids (in women). the most common symptoms of ic/bps are suprapubic pain,{{cite journal |last1=hsieh |firs
Ailments_of_unknown_etiology Chronic_pain_syndromes Urinary_bladder_disorders Urologic_pelvic_pain_syndrome