Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
 Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis - Treatment Options

Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis - Treatment Options

While there is no cure for PBS/IC, there are several surgical and non-surgical treatment options available. A combination of these options is usually required for symptom control. Finding the combination of options that will provide relief often requires diligence and patience.

Non-surgical Treatments:

Bladder diet:

Following a bladder diet means avoiding food and beverages that irritate the bladder and intensify urinary symptoms of PBS/IC. A "bladder elimination diet" is a method to determine which particular foods and beverages make your symptoms worse.

Pelvic floor therapy:

Pelvic floor therapy consists of visits to a physical therapist with specialized training in pelvic floor disorders. These specialized physical therapists utilize a combination of various techniques, listed below, depending on the type of urogynecological condition they are treating.

Bladder training:

Bladder training consists of learning to use the pelvic floor muscles to suppress overactive bladder symptoms, including urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia, and urge urinary incontinence.

Functional electrical stimulation:

Functional electrical stimulation utilizes a device that can be used intravaginally or externally, delivering a gentle electrical current to activate or relax the nerves and muscles in the pelvis.

Joint and tissue mobilization:

This therapy involves gentle manipulation to help calm the muscles and nerves of the pelvis.

Bladder instillations:

Bladder instillations are repeated instillations of lidocaine, heparin and other substances into the bladder to decrease bladder pain. The mixture is instilled through a small catheter inserted into the urethra two times per week until the desired results are achieved.

Sacral nerve modulation:

Sacral nerve modulation is an FDA-approved treatment for urinary urgency, frequency, urge incontinence, and retention. Sacral nerve modulation uses a small device that is implanted under the skin of one of the upper buttocks. It works by gently stimulating the sacral nerves to help the bladder function more normally.

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Physicians & Faculty

Larissa Rodriguez

M.D.

(646) 962-9600
(646) 962-9600
Center for Female Pelvic Health
Dr. Bilal Chughtai, M.D.

Bilal Chughtai

M.D.

646.962.4811
646.962.4811
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Emblem Select Care, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Federal Medicare, Fidelis Care, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], NY State Medicaid, Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, UHC Medicare, United Empire Plan, United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
The Iris Cantor Men’s Health Center
Dr. Richard K. Lee, M.D. | Cornell Urology

Richard Lee

M.D., M.B.A.

646.962.4811
646.962.4811
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, Aetna-NYP-EPO/POS, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Health Plan, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Federal Medicare, Fidelis Care, Health First, NY State Medicaid, Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, UHC Medicare, United Empire Plan, United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
Brady Urologic Health Center

Unwanaobong Nseyo

M.D.

(646) 962-9600
(646) 962-9600
Center for Female Pelvic Health

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