Campaign Seeks to Raise Awareness on Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis, or IC, is a vexing disease. The chronic condition, marked by urinary urgency and pelvic pain, presents like a urinary tract infection, yet no blood or urine test can detect IC and antibiotics do not relieve the symptoms. Many people with IC—most of them women—suffer for years without proper diagnosis or treatment.

But now, an awareness campaign run by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, or NIDDK, seeks to raise awareness among physicians and improve the care for those with IC. As many as 1 million Americans have the symptoms of IC, and while the condition is poorly understood, treatments designed to give people symptomatic relief are available.

In addition to drawing from the NKUDIC’s resources, the awareness drive has also prompted partnerships with professional and advocacy groups, including the Interstitial Cystitis Association and the American Urological Association.

NIH Publication No. 06–5743
October 2005