<unk>  (commonly abbreviated to "IC") is a urinary bladder disease of unknown cause characterized by urinary frequency (as often as every 10 minutes), urgency, pressure and/or pain in the bladder and/or pelvis.  Pain typically increases as the bladder fills and reduces after voiding. However some patients report pain with urination, often in the urethra. Patients may also experience nocturia, pelvic floor dysfunction and tension (thus making it difficult to start their urine stream), pain with sexual intercourse, and discomfort and difficulty driving, traveling or working. The pathogenesis of<unk>  includes epithelial dysfunction, mast cell activation, and bladder sensory nerve up-regulation.<unk>  must be differentiated from other types of<unk>  (bacterial, hemorrhagic), prostatitis, epididymitis, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, bladder stones, lower ureteral stones, urogenital prolapse, and genital cancers. Females are more commonly affected with<unk>  than males. The female to male ratio may range from 5:1 to 10:1. The median age at diagnosis ranges from 42-46 years. Laboratory findings consistent with the diagnosis of<unk>  include negative urine cultures and the absence of erythocytes and leukocytes on urinalysis.
Interstitial cystitis
Hemorrhagic cystitis
Obstructive uropathy
Pyonephrosis
Pyelonephritis
Hydronephrosis
Chronic bacterial prostatitis
Urethritis