Interstitial Cystitis is a fancy medical term for someone with chronic inflammation of the bladder. Symptoms include pain in the bladder or pelvic region, an urgency to urinate, and pain during intercourse. Medically the cause is unknown, There is no medical cure but the patient is usually treated symptomatically for the discomfort. This condition is more common than most people are aware of-over 700,000 people in the United States suffer from interstitial cystitis.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Urology identified a possible cause for this medical mystery. The study stated “an identifiable lumbar nerve root compression appears to cause urological dysfunction consistent with interstitial cystitis.” Ten patients with severe interstitial cystic were evaluated. All ten patients had a lateral compression of the L5 nerve root. Could chiropractic be of benefit to these patients? If the patient suffered from a subluxation interfering with the lumbar nerves it may be the cause of the bladder dysfunction.
In January of 2005, a male patient entered my office complaining of bladder pain. He was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis by his medical doctor. He was taking medication which helped his symptoms temporarily but left him with unwanted side effects. The medication was severely affecting his vision. His only symptoms were bladder related; he did not complain of lower back pain. Upon examination he demonstrated subluxations in the lumbar neurologic region at the level of L5 nerve root. He responded favorably to chiropractic adjustments. After his second week of care, he was able to discontinue his medications. His bladder symptoms completely subsided and his vision has returned to normal.
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