What is the cause of interstitial cystitis?
No one knows what causes PBS/IC, but doctors believe that it is a real physical problem and not a result, symptom, or sign of an emotional problem. Because the symptoms of PBS/IC are varied, most researchers believe that it represents a spectrum of disorders rather than one single disease. One area of research on the cause of PBS/IC has focused on the layer that coats the lining of the bladder called the glycocalyx, made up primarily of substances called mucins and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). This layer normally protects the bladder wall from toxic effects of urine and its contents. Researchers have found that this protective layer of the bladder is “leaky” in about 70% of PBS/IC patients and have hypothesized that this may allow substances in urine to pass into the bladder wall where they might trigger PBS/IC, making these patients susceptible to chemicals in the urine, including those from foods or beverages. Along with altered permeability of the bladder wall, researchers are also ex
