There is no cure for IC, but there are measures that can be taken to ease symptoms, including medications, bladder instillations (also called bladder washes or baths), bladder distention, and electrical stimulation. For nearly all IC patients, making significant dietary changes can help ease the symptoms of the disease. Continuing to consume alcohol and/or eat foods that trigger symptoms can lead to painful attacks.

Diet Matters

Many cystitis patients find that making changes to their diet can help control symptoms, specifically by avoiding foods and beverages that can cause bladder irritation. Because each person’s bladder reacts differently, keeping track of what you’re eating and eliminating one food item at a time in a process of elimination will help you determine what foods trigger bladder irritation. The Interstitial Cystitis Association offers an IC Diet that includes three categories:

●     IC Friendly: This list includes foods that rarely bother the bladders of IC patients. The ICA advises that newly diagnosed IC patients stick to these foods only until they experience some relief from symptoms, which may take several weeks.

●     Try It: Foods on this list are reported to be generally safe to eat but may bother some sensitive bladders. The foods on this list should be tried one at a time in small quantities, gradually increasing portion size over the course of several days. If you don’t react to the food item, then you can add it to your own “IC-Friendly” list, and introduce a new food item.

●     Caution: This is a list of food items that tend to trigger IC bladder flare-ups in most IC patients. The foods on this list should be avoided altogether or tried only when bladder symptoms are minimal and the bladder is not feeling sensitive. As with the “Try It” list, foods should be introduced one at a time and only in small amounts.