An injection of placenta tissue could offer hope for people with a chronic form of cystitis.
The treatment led to a three-fold reduction in the pain and urinary symptoms experienced by patients with interstitial cystitis, a condition affecting around half a million Britons, nine out of ten of them women.
Also known as bladder pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis is a poorly understood condition where the main symptoms are intense pelvic pain and problems urinating — those affected may have a sudden, strong urge to pass urine, or to pee more frequently than usual, often waking several times during the night.
Other symptoms can include urinary incontinence and blood in the urine, and the condition can have a long-lasting impact on quality of life.
Unlike other forms of cystitis, which are caused by a bladder infection and which often clear up without treatment, the cause of interstitial cystitis is unclear.
Theories include damage to the bladder lining, which may lead to urine irritating the bladder and surrounding nerves. Another suggestion is that it develops as a result of damage to the pelvic floor muscles or due to the immune system causing an inflammatory reaction.
Treatments include over-the-counter and prescription painkillers, and medication to control the urge to urinate.
Surgery is sometimes suggested if there has been damage to part of the bladder or if other treatments do not work — for instance, ulcers inside the bladder can be sealed with laser therapy.
But there’s no conclusive evidence that these existing treatments work.
The new approach involves injecting the amniotic membrane taken from a placenta into the bladder muscle, to regenerate damaged tissue and reduce inflammation.
The amniotic membrane, the outermost layer of the placenta, is rich in natural healing compounds that trigger new cell growth.
It is already successfully used in dressings for chronic wounds such as leg ulcers. The membrane is taken from donated human placental tissue which is sterilised then turned into a powder, before being converted into liquid form.
In a clinical trial at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, in the U.S., ten patients who’d had interstitial cystitis for up to 12 years received several injections into the bladder muscle under general anaesthetic — after three months their symptoms had significantly improved, measured with a screening tool developed to evaluate pain.
Average scores dropped from 37.4 before treatment to 12.2 after three months.
‘This corresponded to a significant improvement in physical and mental quality of life and there were no adverse events,’ the researchers reported in the journal International Urology and Nephrology.
A larger trial is now under way at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, in the U.S., involving 100 patients who will either have injections of the placenta material, or placebo injections, into 20 sites in the bladder.
Commenting on the research, Professor Raj Persad, a consultant urologist at Bristol Urology and Southmead Hospital, said: ‘This preliminary study offers hope to all those with chronic pelvic pain due to interstitial cystitis.
‘I am not clear how it works but the pain scores for this awful disease that ‘cripples’ people, significantly improve. I await the results of the larger trial with anticipation.’
Injections of ‘Botox’ can ease symptoms of interstitial cystitis (or bladder pain syndrome), according to a new study in the journal Urology Research & Practice.
More than 40 people, who had not responded to other treatments, were given the jabs into the bladder, then monitored for nine months. Some 41 per cent had a ‘good’ response and 52 per cent an ‘intermediate response’ — while 7 per cent had no improvement, doctors at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran found.
It’s thought botulinum toxin in the jabs reduces bladder muscle tension, easing pain. Relaxing the muscle may also relieve frequency and urgency.
Secrets of an A-List body
This week: Sarah Paulson’s waist
Sarah Paulson, 49, was guest of honour at a recent gala, where she wore a yellow outfit that nipped in at her waist.
The U.S. actor has said ‘it doesn’t come naturally to me to be lean’, and she works out daily with a trainer to keep strong and toned, doing bodyweight exercises and cardio.
WHAT TO TRY: The ‘dead bug’ will whittle your waist, working your core muscles. Lie face up, reach your arms toward the ceiling and lift your legs so your knees are bent 90 degrees, feet pointing toward the wall.
Slowly extend your left leg straight and your right arm back behind your head until both are a few inches from the ground.
Return to the starting position and repeat with your right leg and your left arm. Do three sets of 15 repetitions, three times a week.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
