Hydrodistention + Bladder Training "crucially important"

[webslave]

The implementation of HD and bladder training is crucially important for long-term remission among IC patients.

Hydrodistention + Bladder Training "crucially important" in IC

[kevin]

Interesting. However, from the abstract it seems that this study doesn't determine how much of the beneficial effect is due to the hydrodistension and how much is due to bladder training. Most studies I have read on hydrodistension conclude that it is not effective (i.e. offers only temporary relief of symptoms to some people). I suspect that bladder training is indeed beneficial, but as someone who's tried, it's tough to put yourself through if you have bladder pain.

[J Dimitrakov]

Interesting. However, from the abstract it seems that this study doesn't determine how much of the beneficial effect is due to the hydrodistension and how much is due to bladder training. Most studies I have read on hydrodistension conclude that it is not effective (i.e. offers only temporary relief of symptoms to some people). I suspect that bladder training is indeed beneficial, but as someone who's tried, it's tough to put yourself through if you have bladder pain.

Ir's another example of how important it is to read the full text of the study. The authors actually don't specify HOW they measured pain and pain improvement in their patients (the standard questionnaire for this purpose is the O'Leary-Sant Symptom and Problem Index). Furthermore, all of the patients received hyoscine, an anticholinergic agent which causes urinary retention by relaxing bladder smooth muscle and CONTRACTING the external sphincter. Anticholinergics are contraindicated in people with suspected bladder outlet obstruction (e.g. BPH). Therefore, the results they observed might not be due to hydrodistension or bladder training but rather to pre-medicating their patients

Best,
JD