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Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome)

Symptoms

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The pelvic floor helps control the bladder, bowel, spine, and sex organs.​

The symptoms of interstitial cystitis (IC)/painful bladder syndrome (PBS) include:

Bladder

  • Feeling like you have to pass urine all the time (this is called urgency).
  • Passing urine more often than normal (this is called frequency).
  • Having a hard time to start passing urine.
  • Pain with passing urine.
  • Not being able to empty your bladder completely.
  • Burning when passing urine.

Bowel

  • Constipation.
  • Pain with bowel movements.
  • Feeling pressure on the pelvic floor and organs.

Sex

  • Pain in the genital area during or after sex.

Spine

  • Pain in your low back, pelvis, or abdomen (belly).

If you have these symptoms, you likely have IC/PBS or problems with your pelvic floor muscle.

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Current as of: November 1, 2017

Author: Calgary Pain Program, Alberta Health Services