Symptoms And Diagnosis Of Interstitial Cystitis

Cystoscopy

A diagnostic test called a cystoscopy can be used in individuals experiencing urological symptoms in order to identify the cause and rule out other conditions. During a cystoscopy, the physician uses a small catheter-like tool with a camera on the end inserted into the bladder so that they can see the characteristics of its interior. If the provider is able to see the presence of a tumor or materialized stones inside the patient's bladder, the diagnosis will be something other than interstitial cystitis. When an individual is experiencing symptoms of this condition, and the physician is able to see materialized ulcers through their cystoscope on the bladder wall, the patient is most likely to be diagnosed with this interstitial cystitis. A cystoscopy can be performed at the same time as a biopsy of the bladder inside of the operating room to rule out the presence of other diseases. Often times, the physician can treat ulcers, tumors, or bladder stones detected during the cystoscopy procedure during the same bladder biopsy surgery.

Medical History And Physical Exam

A healthcare provider can use a medical history and physical exam to rule out other diseases and conditions that may be the cause of a patient's symptoms. This process helps the provider with making an interstitial cystitis diagnosis, as no single medical test can positively or negatively identify the condition. The physician gathers a thorough medical history which involves asking the patient questions about what their symptoms are, the duration of such symptoms, how the symptoms are affecting their everyday life, past health issues, current health concerns, prescription and over the counter drugs the individual is taking, diet, and fluid intake. A physical exam can help a physician identify the cause of the patient's symptoms, and if they are or are not characteristic of interstitial cystitis. For females, the physical exam includes the pelvic organs, rectum, and abdomen. For males, the physical exam consists of the prostate, abdomen, and rectum. If no abnormalities or explanation is identified for the patient's symptoms, further testing is done to confirm an interstitial cystitis diagnosis.