Cystitis and sexual intercourse: can they be the cause?
Cystitis is a "urinary tract infection characterized by a burning sensation during urination, or when we pee. Often the urge to urinate is unbearable and becomes very pressing even if you have been in the bathroom shortly before.
However, this urinary tract infection is not sexually transmitted. When you have sex with your partner and the partner has a urinary tract infection, there is no danger of being infected.
Sometimes it can happen that sexual intercourse, especially for women, is the main cause of urinary tract infections and this happens because the ano-vaginal distance is very short. Bacteria can easily pass from one place to another, leading to annoying infections to be treated in the right way.
Let's find out more about cystitis: how it occurs and above all how it is treated.
See also
What is a urinary tract infection?
In most cases, cystitis is caused by a bacterium called Escherichia coli, which occurs naturally in the intestine. This bacterium is not contagious. It also does not survive in the open air. Therefore, Escherichia coli does not spread from person to person. However, it is possible to self-contaminate. In other words, the bacteria present in the intestine can, following sexual intercourse, end up in the urinary tract and migrate.
Why does cystitis occur following sexual intercourse?
As we said, in the female body, the urethra and the anus are so close to each other that microbes can easily pass from one opening to the other, causing urinary tract infections.
Therefore, it is not the partner who infects the woman. Rather, it is the movement of the penis into the vagina that helps germs move from the outside to the inside of the vagina, causing an infection.
And this proximity also helps bacteria to move from the anus to the vagina with the movement of the tongue or fingers.
The resumption of sexual activity favors the development of cystitis
After a long period of abstinence do you start having frequent sexual intercourse again? Then you are more likely to develop a "urinary tract infection. Even very frequent sexual intercourse (honeymoon syndrome) can cause cystitis, because sexual intercourse causes irritation and promotes infections. If you have a new partner, you also have more likely to get urinary tract infections This is because your body is not yet used to the bacteria carried by your new partner.
Can i have sex if i have cystitis?
Urinary infections are not contagious. There is therefore no contraindication to having sex during cystitis. However, urinary tract infection makes the moment quite uncomfortable, as sexual intercourse can increase the pain and intensity of some symptoms. It is best to treat yourself before resuming sexual activity.
How can I avoid a urinary tract infection after sex?
Of course, there are some simple things that can be done to prevent cystitis from occurring after intercourse.
- Pee immediately after sex
By urinating immediately after intercourse, the pee is able to remove the bacteria that in the meantime have settled in the area.
- Drink a lot of water
Water dilutes urine. Don't hesitate to drink plenty of water every day, preferably in small sips.
- Take a food supplement
D-Mannose is a simple sugar, a "cousin" of glucose. It covers the cells of the urinary tract. It is found in some fruits: peaches, apples, blueberries or oranges. D-Mannose heals cystitis naturally.
Cranberry products are also known to help contain the problem. Food supplements in general do not carry consequences like antibiotics. However, it is important to keep in mind that they are not drugs and should be taken under medical advice.
- Do the bidet after sexual intercourse
Finally, a thorough bidet of the genitals after sex can help reduce the risk of cystitis. Namely: the lack of hygiene favors the proliferation of bacteria. However, excessive hygiene is also destructive to the vaginal flora that protects the female sex.
Sexuality and nutrition are two fundamental and connected realities, which influence each other in every phase of female life.
If you are interested in learning more about this aspect, you can participate in the Food Sexology course, held by experts in the sector, who aim to investigate the field from a sexological, medical, psychological and biological point of view.
For the necessary information and to register, visit the website www.sessuologialimentare.it/corsi and fill out the participation form.
The participation fee is 500 euros + VAT.
With the attribution of ECM credits, the cost is 600 euros + VAT.
One-time payment provides a 25% discount which will take place by 20 September: € 375 + VAT without ECM, € 450 + VAT with ECM.
