Self-care regimens for patients with interstitial cystitis.

For those who suffer from interstitial cystitis, living with the condition is a challenge that requires creativity, patience, determination, and a sound set of coping mechanisms. Because of the high percentage of gynecologic and systemic manifestations of interstitial cystitis, a customized treatment regimen is often necessary to achieve the therapeutic goal of a remission in symptoms. Treatment philosophies should be based on the proposed causative mechanisms, and a multimodality approach to therapy is usually successful. Self-care regimens give the patient a sense of control by active participation in treatment, which often improves coping mechanisms. Treatment of the sequelae of chronic pain (anxiety and depression) often improves response to overall therapy. Remission is the goal, coping is the key, and creativity opens the door to treating this most perplexing of conditions.