OUCH! Tips on how to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary Tract Infections or UTIs are an extremely common nuisance for the sexually active female. Notice I added sexually active.
That is because the number one reason for obtaining a urinary tract infection, aka UTI, aka it feels like someone is sticking a ratchedy blade out of your pee hole, is sexual intercourse. Especially frequent sexual intercourse. It is very important to understand that a UTI is not a sexually transmitted disease. Your man did not give it to you, nor did his ex-girlfriend. Actually you gave it to you through friction, usually from intercourse, but it isn’t the only cause. It may also occur from exercise, tight clothing and improper hygiene.
Bacteria that is naturally on your body especially near your rectum has relocated itself through movement into your urethra (pee hole) and since it doesn’t belong there, it hurts like hell. UTI’s are easy to treat but they definitely do need to be treated because if left too long the infection can actually make its way to your kidneys, which is a way worse scenario.
It is not something that should be messed with or self-treated. In addition, you also always want to call your doctor because you need to make sure the symptoms are not caused by something else. Overall, a good rule of thumb to live by is: if your pee is stinging, call your doctor.
People always ask me how they can prevent urinary tract infections. Well, besides a basic wipe front to back rule (which you really should have learned and mastered by now or we probably need to start with some more basic life lessons), there is not much you can do. The only proven way to help prevent infections is cranberries and cranberry juice. But if you are like me and really only drink that sugary stuff if it’s mixed with vodka and you just can’t be buzzed all day, you can find cranberry tablets at your local pharmacy.
Urinating after intercourse, although not proven, is also a theoretically good way of flushing bacteria out. As well as staying well hydrated and always urinating when you have the sensation. Permitted there is a nearby restroom. I am not advocating public urination.
Sometimes if you have recurrent urinary tract infections, more than four to five a year, and they are associated with sex, your doctor can recommend taking one antibiotic pill after intercourse to prevent one from recurring. I had a beautiful, Spanish-speaking patient that had had about three urinary tract infections within the past two months. I was discussing the option of taking a pill every time that she had intercourse for prevention of a recurrence when I watched her big saucer brown eyes widen in confusion. She leaned forward over my desk and slapped her hand onto her cheek. Her long red nails resting on the edge of her thick, well-groomed eyebrow, “Every time?!”
“I think you may have misunderstood. Maximum once a day. I mean, if it’s a really great day and you have sex six times, you don’t take six pills. No one is trying to make you overdose just because you have a great sex life.”
She relaxed, dropped her hand from her face, and sat back. “That day would be great for him! For me? I don’t know, I’m getting kinda tired….New relationship, ya know?”
“Yeah, I got you girl.”