Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition also called painful bladder syndrome. It can affect men and children, but is most common in women. Although there is no specific treatment to cure interstitial cystitis, medications and therapy are available to help relieve symptoms when flares occur. Avoiding certain foods may help.
Common Symptoms
The most common symptoms of interstitial cystitis include pelvic pain, frequent urination in small amounts, burning with urination, a constant need to urinate, pain with sexual intercourse, pain between the vagina and anus in women and pain between the scrotum and anus in men. Symptoms can vary from person to person.
The Role of Diet
MayoClinic.com points out that no scientific evidence exists to support that what you eat can induce the symptoms of interstitial cystitis. Some foods can prevent symptoms in some individuals or make them worse when flares occur. No one diet is perfect for each person; therefore, you need to take the time to determine what foods induce your particular symptoms.
Finding Your Trigger Foods
You can find your trigger foods one of two ways. The first is eliminating high-risk foods. Follow the four "c" rule and eliminate carbonated beverages, all caffeine, citrus foods and foods with high concentrations of vitamin C. Highly acidic foods can irritate your bladder, inducing the symptoms. The other option is keeping a food diary for a week or two. Write down everything you eat, the time you eat it and any adverse effect it produces. Eliminate that food from your diet for a period of two weeks and see if there are any changes in your symptoms. Reintroduce problem foods one at a time. If a food induces your symptoms, remove it once again. It is important to replace foods that contain important nutrients with another food from that same food group to maintain a balanced diet. For example, if you cannot tolerate cow's milk, try almond milk or lactose-free milk instead.
Foods to Possibly Avoid
Although interstitial cystitis affects every person differently, you should consume some foods with caution, according to IC-Diet.com. These include alcohol, carbonated beverages, sports drinks, processed bread, pasta and boxed rice, bologna, pepperoni, salami, hot dogs, most types of sausage and smoked fish. Processed cheese, soy cheese and ice cream may cause irritation, as well as citrus fruits. Vegetables are generally safe with the exception of chili peppers, pickles and soy products such as tofu and soybeans. Avoid spices such as paprika, cayenne, hot curry powder, vinegar, red pepper, cloves and horseradish.
