Medical Cannabis for Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial Cystitis and Cannabis

• Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder condition causing pelvic pain, urgency, and frequency
• It predominantly affects women and is often misdiagnosed as recurrent UTI
• Conventional treatment is frequently unsatisfactory
• CB1 receptors are present in the bladder and pelvic neural pathways

Interstitial cystitis represents a significant unmet need — medical cannabis is increasingly sought by patients who have exhausted conventional options.

Evidence and Access

• Patient surveys consistently report significant pelvic pain reduction with cannabis
• Some patients report reduced urgency and improved sleep
• UK specialist pain clinics and cannabis clinics can assess IC patients
• Sublingual oil administration is preferred — avoiding oral cavity exposure to vaporised products

The chronic, intractable nature of IC makes it a condition where medical cannabis can offer meaningful quality-of-life improvement.