Diagnosis

Diagnosis of interstitial cystitis might include:

• Medical history and bladder diary. Your health care provider may ask you to describe your symptoms and to keep a bladder diary, recording the volume of fluids you drink and the volume of urine you pass.
• Pelvic exam. During a pelvic exam, your provider examines your external genitals, vagina and cervix and feels your abdomen to assess your internal pelvic organs. Your provider may also examine your anus and rectum.
• Urine test. A sample of your urine is analyzed for signs of a urinary tract infection.
• Cystoscopy. Your provider inserts a thin tube with a tiny camera (cystoscope) through the urethra, showing the lining of your bladder. Your provider may also inject liquid into your bladder to measure your bladder capacity. Your provider may perform this procedure, known as hydrodistention, after you've been numbed with an anesthetic medication to make you more comfortable.
• Biopsy. During cystoscopy under anesthesia, your provider may remove a sample of tissue (biopsy) from the bladder and the urethra for examination under a microscope. This is to check for bladder cancer and other rare causes of bladder pain.
• Urine cytology. Your provider collects a urine sample and examines the cells to help rule out cancer.
• Potassium sensitivity test. Your provider places (instills) two solutions — water and potassium chloride — into your bladder, one at a time. You're asked to rate on a scale of 0 to 5 the pain and urgency you feel after each solution is instilled. If you feel noticeably more pain or urgency with the potassium solution than with the water, your provider may diagnose interstitial cystitis. People with typical bladders can't tell the difference between the two solutions.