Interstitial Cystitis (Bladder Pain) – Brockton, MA
Many women suffer from chronic bladder pain – often seeking help from a number of different specialists before getting an accurate diagnosis and the help that they need. If you are experiencing bladder pain – often accompanied by pressure – that gets worse as the bladder fills, you may be suffering from Interstitial Cystitis or “Bladder Pain Syndrome”.
At ESP Medical we have helped hundreds of women get free of the inconvenience, discomfort and frustration of ongoing bladder pain by employing a holistic approach that utilizes state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures coupled with the latest advancements in pelvic medicine. As both an OBGYN and a Urogynecologist, who is also Board Certified in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Vikas Merchia, MD, FACOG, FPMRS takes a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to identifying and treating the source of your bladder pain.
At ESP Medical we have helped hundreds of women get free of the pain and frustration of bladder disorders with detailed diagnosis and highly effective treatment modalities. If you are experiencing bladder pain – even if other doctors have been unable to help you – you do not have to suffer. Schedule an appointment today with our pelvic pain experts, so you can get the relief you need to get your life back!
Causes of Bladder Pain
There is no one universally agreed upon cause of Interstitial Cystitis or Bladder Pain Syndrome. And even experts may disagree on what precipitates this painful and frustrating condition.
In our experience there may be multiple causes of bladder pain – that can be as unique as each patient. This is why it is important to have a compassionate and thorough urogynecologist by your side, to understand your situation and explore your diagnosis and treatment options.
In some cases it is believed that a structural defect in the bladder tissue may be responsible for irritating substances in the urine to penetrate the bladder. Along these same lines, there may also be something specific within the urine that causes damage to the bladder that results in pain.
In other cases, a neurological component may be responsible for bladder pain, whereby nerve dysfunction results in pain being caused by events that are not normally painful (such as bladder filling). while in still other situations, an autoimmune condition causes the body’s immune system to attack the bladder, causing pain.
Experts have also speculated that a specific type of inflammatory cell, known as a mast cell may be present in some women, that releases histamine and other chemicals into the bladder.
Treating Interstitial Cystitis
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Medication for Bladder Pain
In some case lifestyle changes may be enough to remedy the bladder pain of Interstitial Cystitis. When this is not enough, two types of prescription drugs may be recommended, oral and/or intravesical drugs that are placed directly into the bladder with a catheter.
Neuromodulation Therapy / InterStim
If lifestyle changes and prescription drugs don’t work, we offer state-of-the-art neuromodulation therapy that delivers electrical impulses to the nerves that control the bladder. This innovative, minimally-invasive technology is offered in our Brockton, MA office – with no need for surgery or hospitalization.
Bladder Ulcer Cauterization
When the cause of bladder pain is determined to be a bladder ulcer, either steroid injections, or cauterization under anesthesia, may offer long-term relief for up to a year or more. These treatments can also be repeated as necessary, if bladder pain returns.
