ABSTRACT
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a poorly defined clinical syndrome that manifests as urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia, and bladder pain without an identifiable etiology. Until recently, most of the women with these symptoms were presumed to have a urinary tract infection (UTI), overactive bladder, or chronic pelvic pain, and were often treated accordingly. IC is now gaining recognition, and the diagnostic methods as well as treatment modalities are emerging.
