We don't know for sure what causes IC, and we don't even know how many people in the United States actually have this condition. We believe there are possibly hundreds of thousands of women living with this condition who have either been unable to or unwilling to find appropriate medical help. IC symptoms include sharp and severe pain in the bladder region, and the uncontrollable and frequent urge to urinate. Many patients report IC feeling at first like a common bladder infection, but laboratory tests do not indicate a bacterial cause for this condition. While IC affects primarily women, it also impacts some men.
Patients range in age from teenagers to seniors.
IC is difficult to diagnose, as doctors must first exclude a number of other possibilities before ascertaining if IC is the problem. Treatment options for IC are also limited. Myers considers herself one of the lucky ones. My life has completely turned around. I am now able to lead a normal existence without the problem of IC hanging over my head.