There is no cure for interstitial cystitis (IC); however, there are various treatments, which can ease and alleviate the symptoms of this condition. No single therapy appears to be effective for all women, so you and your doctor will need to take a trial and error approach to treatment. A combination of treatments often proves most effective.

Several oral medications are used to treat IC. Other treatments are administered intravesically. This means that the medication is placed directly into the bladder, using a thin flexible tube, called a catheter, which is inserted through the urethra.

Surgery is a treatment of last resort and is appropriate only for women with the most severe symptoms, which do not respond to other treatments. It is estimated that less than 5 percent of women with IC fall into this category.

For women with IC who experience  chronic pain, treatments such as biofeedback and relaxation techniques may also be helpful.

• Oral medications
• Intravesical therapies
• Pelvic floor rehabilitation
• Surgery