A Pilot to Determine the Feasibility of a Hypnosis Intervention for the Treatment of Bladder Pain Syndrome / Interstitial Cystitis

Available treatments do not provide adequate relief for bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC), a chronic painful condition that affects 10 million women in the United States. The investigators plan to conduct a pilot randomized control study to determine the feasibility of conducting a combined CBT-hypnosis intervention vs. usual care in women with BPS/IC for a subgroup of women, we will determine the effect of specific hypnotic words on brain function using functional brain imaging. All women will have a pre-existing diagnosis of BPS/IC and their baseline pain prior to therapy and novel (arterial spin labeling) and more traditional (BOLD fMRI) neuroimaging techniques will be collected. Women in the hypnosis group will undergo treatment with three in-person hypnotherapy sessions in addition to a mobile web-based hypnosis application. Women in the usual care group will continue their usual care for BPS/IC. Subjects in both groups will complete a variety of questionnaires on bladder pain, urinary symptoms, sleep, mood, affect, disability, and sexual function before and after treatment. The first follow up visit will occur at the end of treatment (4 weeks after randomization). A select group of patients who are eligible to undergo neuroimaging will be invited to participate in neuroimaging after the first follow up visit. Data will also be collected at a second follow up visit at 2 months after randomization.