Some research suggests that many men are misdiagnosed under the prostatitis umbrella. It is not known if the deficiency in the bladder lining is the cause of Interstitial Cystitis or the result of having Interstitial Cystitis. There is absolutely no evidence that Interstitial Cystitis is contagious. A lot of information has been gathered in the last 10 years and progress is being made. At the present time diagnosis is usually one of exclusion - you eliminate a great many other diseases, combined with abnormal cystoscopic findings, to arrive at the diagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis.
Sexual intercourse can be very painful.
Occasionally you may have blood in the urine, which should be reported to your doctor immediately. You should eat reasonable amounts of fruit and vegetables and if your diet normally consists of a lot of spicy foods, try to eliminate them for awhile. You should also keep in mind that Interstitial Cystitis often has periods of remission. Artificial sweeteners, sugar and aspirin are also known irritants. Dull aches are often helped by heat, and sharp pain is sometimes helped by ice packs.