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What are the symptoms?

The typical symptoms of PBS/IC are pain in the bladder and surrounding pelvic area, urinary urgency (needing to go quickly), urinary frequency (going more often). Symptoms can improve or worsen at different times.

Specific bladder pain associated with the condition typically worsens as the bladder fills and is temporarily relieved after urination. Pain may also radiate to the lower back and upper legs, as well as the vaginal area in women. Patients may experience this as a feeling of pressure, discomfort or heaviness, or as a burning or stabbing sensation. The pain can also be brought on or made worse by sexual intercourse in both men and women.

Urinary frequency - An individual with a normal, healthy bladder might expect to urinate around seven or eight times per day. A person with PBS/IC may need to empty the bladder much more often (up to several times an hour), simply to relieve the pain. In severe cases, patients may need to urinate up to 60 times a day, that is two or three times every hour. Patients may also need to urinate several times during the night.

Urinary urgency - Patients may feel a pressing need to go to the toilet due to increasing pain or discomfort that becomes impossible to tolerate. Some may also feel generally unwell and nauseous at the same time.