The so-called GAG layer plays an important role in protecting the bladder lining (epithelium) against anything that enters the bladder.
When this protective layer is disturbed, the sensitive bladder lining is exposed to irritation and attack. From this, sensitivity, pain and other problems can arise.
A damaged GAG layer has been established to play a big role in the pathogenesis of interstitial cystitis.
Today I’d like to share Kathleen and Roy’s story about how they beat interstitial cystitis. I found this story very moving and inspirational – it shows once again that interstitial cystitis can be overcome.
The cause of interstitial cystitis may be different for each of us and the only way to overcome this debilitating condition is to keep searching for that root cause.
Together with her husband Roy, Kathleen finally found the root cause of her interstitial cystitis and this empowered her to overcome this condition.
This story is an account of Kathleen’s journey with interstitial cystitis, written by her husband Roy.
I hope this story will be an inspiration for you to keep searching for answers… Healing is possible!
If you suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) or interstitial cystitis you need to know about biofilm infections.
More and more studies have demonstrated that pathogenic bacteria can persist within the bladder tissue and serve as a ‘reservoir’ for recurrent urinary tract infections.
Bacteria and fungi can make so-called biofilms and hide under them. This protects the bacteria from being discovered by our immune system or from being killed by antibiotics. It also makes it harder to discover them in a urine culture.
In this post I’d like to get a bit more personal rather than practical. I would like to talk about how I healed from interstitial cystitis.
Contrary to common belief, I have experienced on myself that it is possible to recover from this condition. I believe that this is possible for each of us but that the journey might be a different one.
In my last blog post I looked at the ‘bladder-back-connection’. ‘Fix your Back, Fix your Bladder’ is part 2, in which I’m going to look at potential causes for back problems that affect the bladder and possible solutions.
To recap on the last post, I explained how the nerves connecting the bladder to the brain pass through the spine and that an injury to the spine can lead to damage or compression of these nerves.
The result can be bladder issues such as UTIs and interstitial cystitis.
If you are suffering from chronic cystitis or interstitial cystitis and you also experience lower back pain – read on. Lower back problems can be at the root of bladder problems. I call this the bladder-back-connection. Seem a bit far-fetched? Let me explain…
Not everyone with interstitial cystitis is prepared to follow a restricted diet, like the one I’ve outlined in the ‘Interstitial Cystitis Diet’. If you’re one of these people it is a good idea to have a look at the top 10 foods & drinks to avoid with interstitial cystitis I have listed below.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is also known as Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS), Irritable Bladder Syndrome or Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS).
Interstitial cystitis is a conditions affecting the space between the bladder lining and the bladder muscle (interstitial meaning ‘between the layers’ and cystitis, in this sense, meaning ‘of the bladder’).
In general terms, it is a chronic inflammation of the bladder wall. It can resemble a bacterial bladder infection (cystitis) but typically symptoms are always present and don’t respond to antibiotics.
There is an estimated 400.000 people living with this condition in the UK alone, of which 90% are females and 10% are males [1, 2, 3].