Second Nature Care Blog

Finding Root Cause of Interstitial Cystitis In Men & Women

[fa icon="calendar'] Apr 1, 2020 12:22:00 PM / by Isadora Guggenheim

 doctor handshake with a patient at doctors bright modern office in hospital

Interstitial Cystitis does not only affect women. Autoimmune conditions affect both sexes. And interstitial Cystitis is on the rise. There is a fair amount of evidence to confirm that IC is common in men. There are several conditions that can affect the pelvic floor but, there is a lack of testing and it is often misdiagnosed as chronic prostatitis. A cytoscopy can diagnose IC and it is too invasive/expensive for most patients. It can cause a disease flare up. It is not necessarily important to differentiate IC and chronic prostatitis as the treatment is fairly the same, however; it is important to differentiate what the root of the problem is. IC can be due to one of two fundamental underlying problems, pelvic floor hypertonicity and increased urothelial permeability or "leaky bladder". We can have leaky gut, leaky brain, leaky vagina and leaky bladder.

Pelvic floor hypertonicity and trigger points are believed to play a role in the development of IC in men. The assessment for hypertonicity is conducted via a small modification to the standard  DRE (digital rectal exam). Patients will usually experience pain or burning. Treating pelvic floor hypertonicity can be as simple as taking a hot bath  for 15-20 minutes with taking magnesium. Pedicularis bracteosa and Piper methysticum root capsules are natural ways to treat as well.

Patients who aren't showing signs of pelvic floor hypertonicity are most likely to have increased urothelial permeability as the underlying problem. The test for this is the potassium sensitivity test. During cytoscopy, a hypertonic potassium solution is introduced. This causes severe pain within minutes in patients with IC. Leaky urothelium is often indirectly caused by intestinal permeability, thus explaining very common food intolerances in IC patients. It is important that trigger foods are removed from a patient's diet before healing can occur.

Not only do we test for food allergies, food sensitivities - we also run full autoimmune panels, viral, bacterial and fungal panels and Lyme/co-infection panels. We have had a few young men with chronic prostatitis who had Lyme disease and not any sexually transmitted infections. It is important to differentiate between the two.

It is important to test and treat appropriately whether interstitial cystitis or chronic prostatitis and it is imperative to maintain a healthy gut. GOOD GUT Probiotics + immune, GOOD GUT Repair and GOOD GUT Detox.  GOOD GUT Probiotics contains colostrum which is the only proven ingredient in human and animal studies to prevent and heal leaky gut.  It contains antibodies, immunoglobulins and growth factors needed to heal the gut lining.  It provides nutrition and hormones for cell repair and is effective against a wide range of pathogens. It kills pathogens by destroying their cell membranes and competes for binding on the intestinal wall.  

I.V Ozone is another safe and effective method to treating IC and Chronic prostatitis, using MAH and specialized German Biologics. I.V. Ozone is a good treatment choice for chronic prostatitis along with dietary changes, a few natural anti-inflammatories, probiotics and prostate specific nutraceuticals. We offer specialized ozone injections and insufflations of ozone into the bladder and prostate area.

We offer out-of-the-box individualized ozone bladder insufflation formula for men and women who present with deep pelvic pain, burning, increased frequency, mild to moderate incontinence and other assorted symptoms. We can address bladder inflammation/irritation with a sterile painless procedure that takes a about ten minutes. Some patients get relief from one session and others might take a few more. This individualized formula reduces pain/inflammation and helps to restore a natural bladder lining. Why suffer? It is worth your time to see if ozone bladder insufflation can restore your daily life.Get Healthy Today! 

Yarnell, ND, RH (AHG), E. (2017, November). Interstitial Cystitis in Men. NDNR, pp. 1-6.

Isadora Guggenheim

Written by Isadora Guggenheim

Isadora Guggenheim, ND, FNP, RN, MS, CNS, LMT, owner of Second Nature Naturopathic Care, LLC
For all appointments: Tel: 845 358-8385 Fax: 845 358-2963 drguggenheim@msn.com