Why do i get utis after intercourse: Causes and How to Prevent Them
Causes and How to Prevent Them
One common way women get urinary tract infections is by having sex. But that doesn’t mean you have to banish sex from your life to prevent painful infections.
By Meryl Davids LandauMedically Reviewed by Kacy Church, MD
Reviewed:
Medically Reviewed
What you do before and after sex is more important than what you do during it when it comes to UTIs.Mosuno/Stocksy
Pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) aren’t the only consequences of having sex. For some women, a urinary tract infection (UTI) can also be a result.
Blame it on anatomy, which makes a UTI (also called a bladder infection) more likely for women than for men, says Sujata Yavagal, MD, a urogynecologist at Baptist Health South Florida in Miami.
Still, it isn’t inevitable that having sex will cause a UTI. Taking proper precautions can minimize your odds.
RELATED: 8 Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Symptoms
What May Cause a UTI After Sex?
The urethra is the tube through which urine exits the body from the bladder.
In women, this tube is short, making it quicker and easier for bacteria to enter the opening and infiltrate the bladder.
The bacteria that cause a UTI live in the area around the anus, Dr. Yavagal says. Sex can shift bacteria toward the front. From there, it’s just a short hop up the urethra into the bladder, where it can multiply and cause a UTI.
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What Are the Symptoms of a UTI?
Not surprisingly, some of the symptoms of a UTI involve the frequency and quality of pee. Women suffering from a UTI, whether they get the infection from sex or other ways, can have a strong urge to urinate, have cloudy or red or pink urine, and may experience pain or burning during urination.
You might also get fever, shaking, or chills, and even pain in your upper back, your side, or the pelvic region.
Why Are Some People Prone to Getting a UTI Every Time They Have Sex?
You probably don’t get a UTI every time you have sex.
But it can feel that way if you come down with UTIs often.
Sex definitely can trigger the condition. In fact, urinary tract infections have been nicknamed “honeymoon cystitis” — cystitis is another name for an infection of the bladder — because frequent intercourse can lead to the development of a UTI.
Other reasons you might get recurrent UTIs are: having a new partner, having a family history of them, living with diabetes or pelvic organ prolapse, transitioning to menopause (the increased dryness that results when estrogen levels drop can increase your odds), or having difficulty fully emptying your bladder, Yavagal says.
Men get UTIs, but much less frequently than women.
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How to Prevent UTIs When You’re Sexually Active
You don’t have to stop having sex to prevent UTIs. Here are some steps you can take to minimize bacteria buildup and reduce your risk of getting UTIs from sex.
- Urinate before sex and promptly after. This will flush your system and keep bacteria that has entered your urinary tract from gaining a foothold.
- Clean your genital and anal areas (wiping front to back only) before and after sex.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, then have an extra glass after intercourse. This will help rid your urinary tract of unwanted bacteria.
- Use a vaginal lubricant. Friction during sex can irritate the urethra.
- Consider a new form of birth control. If you’re prone to UTIs, you may want to avoid using a diaphragm or spermicide as your form of pregnancy prevention. These can introduce bacteria into the area and can kill off healthy bacteria that keep the problem germs in check.
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Other Ways to Minimize Your Chances of Getting a UTI
Yavagal also recommends these steps to her patients who are prone to the condition.
- Don’t use douches, sprays, or powders in the genital area. “There are protective bacteria in the vagina that we don’t want to wash away,” she says.
- Clean your anus well after having a bowel movement. Use a separate sheet of toilet paper (or even a wet wipe) to clean the front and the back.
- Consider drugstore supplements. Yavagal especially likes concentrated cranberry pills, which are thought to create an acidic environment that minimizes the colonization of the wrong bacteria; probiotics; and d-mannose, which tiny pilot studies have linked to improvements in UTIs.
- Talk to your doctor about whether you need a prescription for antibiotics after you have sex.
How Are UTIs Treated?
Your doctor will typically prescribe an oral antibiotic to rid you of the UTI.
Yavagal says if you come down with a UTI frequently, ask your doctor to do a culture one time to be sure this is actually what you have. A chronic bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis (IC) is sometimes mistaken for a UTI, she says.
You should be especially suspicious if the antibiotics you have taken for your UTIs in the past have not sufficiently helped.
Can You Have Sex if You Have a UTI?
In general, it is recommended that you avoid having intercourse when you have an active urinary tract infection. When you get an antibiotic prescription, ask your doctor when the right time to resume sexual activity would be. Of course, you can still kiss and have other intimate and emotional connections.
Once you have completed a course of antibiotics and the UTI has cleared away, you should be able to resume sexual activity. But be sure to take the careful steps necessary to prevent the sex from putting you on the road to yet another one.
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Was this helpful?
Having sex is a common cause behind this type of infection, especially for women. Following certain steps, like peeing after sex and drinking lots of water, may help prevent it.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects your urinary system, including your urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys. Although a UTI can affect any part of your urinary system, it most often causes an infection in your bladder. This is known as cystitis.
Although urine doesn’t contain bacteria, sometimes bacteria in your genital area can get into your urinary tract. This can lead to infection and inflammation, which is known as a UTI.
Many factors can increase your risk for getting a UTI, including having sex.
According to a 2013 review, UTIs will likely affect at least 50 to 60 percent of women in their lifetime. Although men have a lower risk for getting a UTI, especially after sex, it can still happen.
In this article, we’ll look at what you can do to lower your risk for getting a UTI from sex, other possible risk factors, and the most effective treatment.
Yes, you can get a UTI from having sex, especially if you’re a woman.
“During sexual intercourse, thrusting can introduce bacteria up the urethra and into the bladder, increasing the risk of a UTI,” explains Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, MD, OB-GYN.
The reason that women are more prone to getting a UTI from sex is due to female anatomy. Women have a shorter urethra than men, which means it’s easier for bacteria to get into the bladder.
Also, the urethra is closer to the anus in women. This makes it easier for bacteria, like E. coli, to get into the urethra.
It’s important to keep in mind that you can also get a UTI from oral sex, not just penetrative sex. With oral sex, bacteria can still get introduced into the urethra, which can lead to an infection.
Although anyone is susceptible to getting a UTI from having sex, Richardson says women with a history of recurrent UTIs or urinary abnormalities have an increased risk for these infections.
Although it might not be possible to come up with a completely foolproof plan to prevent a UTI, you can certainly take steps to reduce your risk for getting a UTI after sex.
Here are some tips:
- One helpful tip, says Richardson, is to always urinate after sex. “Eliminating any bacteria in the bladder after sex decreases the risk of a UTI,” she explains.
- Some doctors also recommend urinating before sex to lower the risk of a UTI.
- Washing your genital area with warm water before sex may reduce the risk of bacteria getting into the urethra, especially for women.
- Some contraceptives, such as diaphragms or spermicides, may increase your risk for a UTI. If you think either of these may be contributing to your UTI, consider other forms of contraception.
Richardson also says women who have recurrent UTIs may benefit from taking a prescribed antibiotic after sex. This is typically one dose taken immediately after having sexual intercourse.
If you’re prone to getting UTIs, you may want to talk with your doctor about an antibiotic prescription for this purpose.
While anyone can get a UTI, research shows that women are about eight times more likely to get one than men.
“Also, menopausal women with dry or atrophic tissue have a higher risk of getting a UTI,” Richardson explains.
Other factors that can put you at a higher risk for a UTI include:
- frequent, intense sexual intercourse
- sex with a new partner
- a previous UTI
- multiple pregnancies
- obesity
- diabetes
- a weakened immune system
- urinary or genital abnormalities
Another factor is family history.
According to Harvard Health, having a mother or sister who has frequent UTIs may increase your risk for getting one, too.
The symptoms that accompany a UTI can cause discomfort. If severe enough, this discomfort can put a serious kink in your day-to-day life.
Some of the more common symptoms of a UTI include:
- an urge to urinate frequently but passing less urine
- a burning sensation when urinating
- pain or pressure in the abdomen or pelvic area
- blood in urine
- abnormal urine that may smell or appear cloudy
- rectal pain (in men)
Depending on the location, you may also experience pain in your upper back and abdominal sides. This may be a sign that the infection has spread to your kidneys. Alongside pain, you may also experience:
- nausea
- vomiting
- chills
- fever
Sex is a common cause of a UTI, but it’s not the only cause.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), there are many factors that can cause a UTI.
Besides having sex, some of the most common causes include:
- problems with completely emptying your bladder when you urinate
- blockages or obstructions in your urinary tract, like kidney stones or an enlarged prostate
- the use of urinary catheters
- frequent use of antibiotics, which can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your urinary tract
If you have symptoms of a UTI, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible. They’ll be able to diagnose and treat your infection with the right kind of medication.
Most UTIs can be successfully treated with antibiotics. According to the ACOG, most antibiotic treatments are very effective and last only a few days.
There are also other medications available for treatment that are not antibiotic based.
To help ease symptoms of abdominal pain or discomfort while urinating, your doctor may also prescribe pain medication.
If a UTI is more complicated or has progressed to a more severe infection, your doctor may prescribe additional medications or consider hospitalization.
If you’re prone to recurring UTIs (defined as three or more UTIs a year), your doctor may consider additional treatments, such as:
- a low-dose antibiotic that’s taken for 6 months
- a single dose of antibiotics to be taken immediately after sex
- vaginal estrogen therapy for postmenopausal women
At home, while you’re waiting to see your doctor, try to:
- drink plenty of water
- avoid liquids that may irritate your bladder, including:
- coffee
- soda
- citrus juice
- alcohol
- apply a heating pad to your back if you have pelvic or abdominal pain
In addition to any treatment plan your doctor may prescribe, consider the following tips to prevent a UTI from coming back:
- Drink plenty of fluids, at least six to eight glasses of water a day.
- Frequently empty your bladder and as soon as you feel the urge. This is especially important immediately after sex.
- For women, after urinating, wipe from front to back to avoid introducing any bacteria into the urethra.
- Keep your genital area clean by gently washing with warm water every day, as well as before sex.
- Use contraception that doesn’t include a spermicide.
- Avoid douching or using vaginal deodorants or scented tampons or pads.
- Avoid wearing jeans and underwear that are too tight.
Richardson also suggests taking a vaginal probiotic. These probiotic capsules might prevent recurring UTIs by helping to maintain a healthy vaginal flora on a daily basis.
One popular tip you may have heard about is drinking cranberry juice to prevent UTIs. However, studies on the effectiveness of cranberry juice to prevent a UTI aren’t conclusive.
So, for now, don’t rely on cranberry juice as a prevention method.
UTI Supplement Options
Read our full review of Uqora, a company that focuses on developing natural supplements for UTI prevention.
Was this helpful?
Sexual intercourse can increase your risk for getting a UTI, but there are simple steps you can take to reduce your chance of getting one.
Pee right after sex and keep your genital area clean. Consider possibly using a different form of contraception.
Talk with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about how to prevent a UTI. Also, be sure to get medical attention if you have a burning sensation when you pee, blood in your urine, or pain in your abdomen or abdominal sides.
Men allergic to orgasms
Society
If a man has a severe runny nose and fever after orgasm, it is not necessarily a cold or the flu. Most likely, he suffers from a rare disease – an allergy to his own sperm, Dutch scientists assure.
Doctors noticed a mysterious disease that strikes some men immediately after orgasm a few years ago. After sexual intercourse, the observed experienced a feverish state, runny nose, severe fatigue and burning in the eyes. Symptoms appeared a couple of minutes after orgasm and might not go away for a week.
But what could cause such a disease, the doctors could not establish.
They came to the aid of scientists from Holland, who suggested that men may simply be allergic to their sperm. Professor Marcel Waldinger from the University of Utrecht decided to test this hypothesis. His team examined 45 Dutch people who went to the doctors complaining about the problem. “Patients reported that they did not feel sick, for example, during masturbation without ejaculation, but as soon as the semen came out, they had cold symptoms within a few minutes,” Dr. Waldinger explained. 33 patients completed a standard allergy test and 29the person had a strong reaction. Two volunteers agreed to therapy – they were injected with an allergen, increasing its amount more and more. As repeated studies have shown, the therapy significantly reduced the symptoms.
Previously, sperm allergy was considered a female ailment: after unprotected sex, partners experienced itching and swelling. Doctors say that theoretically, after a few years, the female body can get used to the male.
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causes and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention
Vasomotor rhinitis (neurovegetative, non-infectious, non-allergic rhinitis) is a disease of the nasal mucosa that occurs due to dysregulation of the tone of small vessels. The nasal cavity is covered from the inside with a mucous membrane, penetrated by numerous small vessels – capillaries. Normally, inhaled air upon contact with this membrane is warmed and saturated with water vapor. Depending on the temperature and humidity of the air, the capillaries expand or contract, adjusting this function.
With neurovegetative rhinitis, the regulation of the lumen of the capillaries is disturbed, as a result of which painful phenomena occur.
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Signs of vasomotor rhinitis
Non-infectious rhinitis accompanied by the following symptoms:
- nasal congestion occurs periodically due to a change in body position, climate, physical activity or for no apparent reason, it can manifest itself only on one side;
- watery or mucous discharge from the nose due to the indicated circumstances or without apparent cause;
- sneezing without cause;
- voice change;
- deterioration of the sense of smell.
When conditions change, the non-infectious runny nose disappears as quickly as it appeared.
Causes and forms of vasomotor rhinitis
Neurovegetative runny nose can manifest itself in various forms:
- Reflex. Rhinitis appears as a response to food intake (alcoholic drinks, spicy and hot food), cold air, strong smelling substances, bright sunlight.
- Medical. Nasal congestion after prolonged use of vasoconstrictors (naphthyzine, sanorin, etc.) or rauwolfia snake preparations.
- Hormonal. It manifests itself with a decrease in thyroid function or with tumors of the pituitary gland.
- Idiopathic. With this form of the disease, the cause cannot be established.
It is not yet possible to establish how the regulation of the lumen of the mucosal vessels occurs in each case, but it is clear that in the first two cases a pathological conditioned reflex occurs.
Neurovegetative runny nose may be the result of previous respiratory diseases.
In children, it can be combined with adenoids. In this case, not only the lymphoid tissue in the nasopharynx can grow, but also the nasal mucosa. Both of these interfere with nasal breathing.
Deviated septum due to trauma or pathological development can affect the blood supply to the nasal mucosa and cause vegetative rhinitis.
Vasomotor rhinitis can be combined with allergic rhinitis, i.e. runny nose with this combination also appears when exposed to allergens. An otolaryngologist and an allergist will help to make an accurate diagnosis with an indication of the causes of the disease.
Treatment of vasomotor rhinitis
Since the causes of vasomotor rhinitis are many and they can be combined, its treatment is individual.
With the reflex form of the disease, it is enough to simply eliminate the irritant to stop the attack. Over time, the conditioned reflex, without reinforcement, goes out on its own. Vasoconstrictor drops (naphthyzinum, sanorin, etc.
) will help to quickly get rid of swelling of the nasal mucosa. However, this simple trick does not always work. So, for example, cold air in winter cannot be eliminated. In this case, the hardening program helps a lot: regular bathing in water with a decrease in its temperature completely eliminates neurovegetative rhinitis.
Drug dependence on vasoconstrictor drops must be eliminated by withdrawal. One-day fasting and hot drinking completely eliminates swelling of the nasal mucosa. Rauwolfia preparations, if necessary, are replaced by others that do not cause a runny nose.
Rhinitis associated with diseases of the stomach or hormonal disorders disappears with their treatment.
It is more difficult to treat neurovegetative rhinitis associated with chronic tonsillitis and accompanied by mucosal proliferation. In this case, ozone ultraviolet sanitation and surgical intervention are required.
Treatment methods are chosen by a qualified otolaryngologist, who consults other doctors if necessary.
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According to the Guinness Book of Records, the common cold is the most common disease in the world. Without a runny nose, it would be much easier to get a cold. Runny nose interferes with breathing, talking, sleeping. To reduce unpleasant symptoms and avoid complications, such a simple procedure as washing the nose helps. However, it also needs to be done correctly. This was told to us by an adult and pediatric otorhinolaryngologist of the highest qualification category Svetlana Yurievna Munirova.
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