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IC: Related Disorders

© Lisa Griggs

Interstitial Cystitis seems to have an association with other painful, chronic diseases and syndromes; the connection is still unexplained. Several medical conditions seem to occur much more frequently in IC patients than in the general population. Some common related disorders include allergies, asthma, migraines, sensitive skin, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, vulvodynia, lupus, Sjogrens syndrome, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and myofascial pain syndrome (these last two are often considered to be the same condition, but I have my doubts...).

IC in itself can be a devastating disease. Add one or two related disorders, and the consequences can be overwhelming for the patient. Not every IC patient will develop other disorders, but there is a significant increased risk. Keeping yourself informed about the possible disorders that can develop may prove to be an advantage if you ever find yourself in this situation.

FIBROMYALGIA

Recognized by the American Medical Association in 1987, this disease is chronic and painful. Tenderness and stiffness affect the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Patients often describe flu-like symptoms. To correctly diagnose this disorder, pain must be found in 11 of 18 possible "tender points." The diagnosis must be based on the patient's symptoms, as there are no specific tests to determine whether a person has this disease. The following sites give quite a bit of good information on this subject:

http://www.nidr.nih.gov/slavkin/slav1197...

http://www.nih.gov/niams/healthinfo/fibr...

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

This condition is sometimes called Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome. Exhaustion, memory impairments, sleep disturbances, and chronic pain are some of the symptoms reported by sufferers. There are several websites dealing with this subject, a few of which I will list here:

http://www.mediconsult.com

http://www.cfids.org/cfids.html

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/cf...

LUPUS

Lupus is an immune system disorder in which the tissues of the body become inflamed or damaged. Some of the most common symptoms include extreme fatigue, painful joints, fever, and skin rashes. Link:

http://www.healthanswers.com

SJOGREN'S SYNDROME

This chronic autoimmune disease causes the white blood cells to attack the moisture-producing glands in the body. Common symptoms include fatigue and dry eyes, mouth, nose, and throat. Links:

http://www.healthanswers.com

http://www.sjogrens.com

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME

IBS is a common disorder of the intestines leading to pain and changes in bowel habits. It causes discomfort but does not cause permanent harm to the intestines. Links:

http://obgyn.uihc.uiowa.edu/Patinfo/Adhe...

http://www.healthanswers.com

In future articles, I hope to provide more information on each of these disorders, as well as other conditions that can be related to Interstitial Cystitis.