Interstitial cystitis: an updated overview.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder wall, characterized by pelvic pain, urinary urgency, and frequency. Its etiology is unknown. There are an estimated 700,000 cases of IC in the United States. IC remains a diagnosis of exclusion. Although there are no uniformly effective therapies, many treatment options are currently available. Current research is focused on the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of IC.