Soccer Players And Interstitial Cystitis: The Connection

Interstitial cystitis is a problematic condition that can occur in a significant number of people. One of the strangest relationships that happen with this disease is its recurrence and commonality in soccer players. Why does this occur and how can a player get back on the field as soon as possible?

Why It May Occur In Soccer Players

The connection between athletes and interstitial cystitis has been noted for quite some time, though amateur or professional soccer players may not understand why it exists. Injuries occurring to the pelvis area, such as taking a pass or a shot to the crotch, can cause damage that triggers the onset of this problem. Even worse, players may have pain that they are asked to ignore or work through during a game.

When coaches ask their players to continue playing, despite the pain, they are creating an increased risk of serious injury. Even worse, they could be causing their players to develop more severe and lifelong conditions that will affect them for a long time. Soccer players with pain in their crotch need to understand how to spot this problem immediately.

Symptoms It Is Occurring

While pain in the crotch doesn't necessarily indicate this problem, it does indicate a potential concern. Signs that a soccer player has developed interstitial cystitis include:

• Chronic pain that won't go away
• Constant need to urinate
• Pain as the bladder fills up
• Discomfort or shooting pains during sex
• Agitation or difficulty sleeping
• Inability to "stretch away" the pain

How Diet Changes Can Help

Soccer players that believe they are suffering from interstitial cystitis need to get off the field right away. Continuing to play and practice while suffering from it will only make it worse. Then, they need to follow a strict diet for a month that will eliminate foods that are contributing to the worsening of these symptoms and the development of more severe concerns. Foods likely to cause agitation include:

• Alcohol
• Fruit juices
• Sodas
• Tea
• Yogurt
• Spicy foods, like chili and Indian food
• Artificial sweeteners
• MSG
• Chocolate
• Sandwich meats

After these foods have been eliminated for a month, symptoms should start to go away. Focusing on blander and less problematic foods, like vegetables, helps soccer players eradicate this problem and also provides them with a higher concentration of healthy vitamins and minerals.

A good diet like this can help manage interstitial cystitis and get a soccer player back on the field as soon as possible. However, it may also require a person to visit a doctor to manage more severe and persistent symptoms. Visit a doctor right away if this problem is too painful to tolerate.