You sleep with someone, maybe even for the first time, have a nice night and the next morning when you get up - oh, it burns when you pee. Many people know the burning and stinging feeling after sex. Cystitis? Where does that come from?
Summary
Cystitis after sex is also called honeymoon cystitis .
Unlike cystitis caused by a cold , honeymoon cystitis is caused by mechanical friction.
There are some tips & tricks on how to protect yourself.
Table of contents
Contents
1. What is honeymoon cystitis?
The symptoms of honeymoon cystitis are those of a “normal” bladder infection. The name simply comes from the fact that this type of bladder infection is caused by sex.
Common symptoms include burning when urinating, frequent urge to urinate, increased bladder emptying with small amount of urine and pain in the abdomen.
We know it - as soon as you feel the burning and stinging sensation in your abdomen, all the alarm bells ring.
It can even happen that you lose interest because you simply don't want to risk anything, and hey - cuddling is nice too, right?!
2. Cystitis caused by sex - How?
The mechanical friction during sex irritates the mucous membranes of the vagina. An irritated vagina can no longer protect itself well against pathogens, which make it easy for them to settle in the genital area and then ascend into the bladder.
Cystitis often occurs when switching directly from anal to vaginal sex . This means that the Escherichia coli bacteria (E. coli bacteria) that are often responsible for the infection reach the vagina, which may already be irritated, without any detours and cause a lot of confusion.
Contraceptives can also be an additional contributing factor. What? Crazy but true: diaphragms and spermicides can affect the mucous membrane in the genital area and thus encourage germs to implant. In principle, if the environment down there isn't relaxed, you won't be either.
Some studies also suspect that it can also be the partner's fault if you get a bladder infection after sex. Don't worry, you don't have to break up! Especially with a new partner, your immune system may first have to "get used to" the man's bacteria.
3. Tips for prevention
If you have often had bladder infections after sex, there are some tips and tricks that may help prevent or at least reduce this in the future.
1. Peeing after sex: We've all heard it at least once, hopefully from moms, friends, etc. - The most important thing is to go to the toilet after sex to empty your bladder as quickly as possible. This flushes out any germs and prevents you from feeling too comfortable anywhere.
2. Intimate care: Sounds banal, but it really helps. Clean the intimate area briefly with warm water. This also helps get rid of potential pathogens.
3. Vaginal - not after anal sex: These sexual practices should not follow one another without hygiene measures or changing the condom. Otherwise, the bacteria will travel directly from the intestines to the vagina and therefore quickly towards the bladder.
4. The right contraceptive: Avoid contraceptives that can promote cystitis (as mentioned above).
5. Proper nutrition: It's hard to believe, but it's actually true that a healthy and anti-inflammatory diet can help prevent future infections.
4. Is sex now taboo?
Regardless of the pain, which should make this question a thing of the past, sex during a bladder infection is not necessarily recommended.
We've already talked about it - mechanical friction is rather unfavorable.
And since the vaginal environment is already out of balance, repeated mechanical friction causes additional stress .
In the worst case, the bacteria responsible for the inflammation can spread even further and even make honeymoon cystitis worse.
We recommend that you fully cure your cystitis and treat it in consultation with your doctor before moving on to other things. With proper treatment, you shouldn't be out of action (haha) for too long.
5. Can I get a bladder infection under control on my own?
Whether you can get a bladder infection under control on your own depends entirely on how severe it is.
Pain when urinating or having to run to the toilet frequently are very unpleasant, but often do not require treatment.
If it is only a mild bladder infection, the following applies: drink plenty of fluids, keep warm, drink bladder tea - and wait.
A mild bladder infection usually heals without problems.
If you are unsure or the pain is unbearable, you should see your gynecologist as soon as possible. Honeymoon cystitis is often treated in a similar way to other uncomplicated urinary tract infections . But let's be honest, when it's cramping and aching, we're happy to take the pain-relieving and antispasmodic medication prescribed to us.
