Youve Got A Cold The Flu Or Allergies
You may be tempted to curse your seasonal sneezes, a cold, or the dreaded flu for making your life even more miserable with a UTI, but these ailments arent the cause. The meds you take to manage symptoms could be.
Though theyre the bomb at keeping your runny or stuffy nose in check, antihistamines and decongestants might make you go less by causing urinary retention. And see No. 6 that may lead to a UTI.
What Is The Prognosis For A Person With A Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections typically respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be uncomfortable before you start treatment, but once your healthcare provider identifies the type of bacteria and prescribes the right antibiotic medication, your symptoms should improve quickly. Its important to keep taking your medication for the entire amount of time your healthcare provider prescribed. If you have frequent UTIs or if your symptoms arent improving, your provider may test to see if its an antibiotic-resistant infection. These are more complicated infections to treat and may require intravenous antibiotics or alternative treatments.
Impact Of Urine Infections On Periods
Urinary Tract Infection is a common bacterial infection in women, with every one in two women affected by it at some point in time. When bacteria enter the bladder through the urethra and starts to multiply, it results in urinary tract infection. Most of the times UTI is caused by the bacterium E.coli. This bacterium is found in the digestive tract and skin around the vagina. If it enters the urinary tract, it can cause a painful and a severe infection.
The kidneys filter the blood and remove wastes and excesswater as urine. This urine is stored in the bladder and expelled out of thebody through the urethra. The urethral opening is just above the vaginalopening. UTIs are more common in women due to anatomical reasons. A womansurethra is close to the anus as a result, bacteria from the anus can end up inthe vagina and urethra. Also, women have a shorter urethra, which makes iteasier for the bacteria to reach the bladder. This is why girls are alwaysadvised to wipe from front to back after using the washroom. This helps toprevent the bacteria from anus enter the vagina and up to the urethra. Anothercommon cause of UTIs in women is sex. During sex, bacteria from genital areasand anus can enter urethra and bladder causing UTI. Sexually active women aremore likely to get UTIs. UTIs are not contagious, and you cannot get it fromyour partner.
Impact of urine infections on periods
Some standard measures that you can take to avoid UTIs are
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Truth: Being Female Is The Biggest Risk Factor For Utis
UTIs generally are caused by bacteria that live in the colon, especially the rectum. The short length of the female urethra places its opening close to bacterial reservoirs , making women more vulnerable to infection.
In truth, being female is simply the strongest risk factor for UTIs, says Dr. Dielubanza.
Another trigger particular to women is hormonal change with age. Until menopause, vaginal flora includes protective bacteria. But when estrogen drops during menopause, the pH of the vagina changes, and the good flora cannot thrive there as easily. Without these good bacteria, the bad bacteria can more easily flourish in postmenopausal women.
Men are not immune to UTIs, but they are less likely to have them. This is because their longer urethras present a challenge to bacteria entry. However, as men age and begin to empty their bladders less efficiently due to prostate enlargement, urinary tract infections can become more common.
A trigger for UTIs in both men and women is use of any medical instrument near the urethra, including a catheter to drain urine.
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All You Need To Know About Having Sex During Your Period
If you do plan on giving it a try, or are even a little bit curious, let us tell you – its really not so hard and can actually be a lot of fun.
Firstly, lets establish that sex during periods isnt everyones cup of tea. There are all kinds of women out there – some who enjoy it even more than regular sex, others whove never tried it and dont even want to, and some whove tried and decided they never want a repeat performance. Its the same way with men – some of them arent bothered by period blood while others dont like the idea of it. All of these are individual preferences – and theyre all completely normal. So while sex during periods is possible, if you don’t want to do it then you should refuse to partake – even if your partner wants to try it.
If you do plan on giving it a try, or are even a little bit curious, let us tell you – its really not so hard and can actually be a lot of fun. It can help to be prepared for the first time, though, and not just do it spontaneously. Heres all you need to know about having sex during periods:
You Eat A Lot Of Sugar
Bacteria that cause UTIs love feeding on sugar, so you run the risk of providing a feast for them whenever your sweet tooth strikes. Kalas V, et al. Structure-based discovery of glycomimetic FmlH ligands as inhibitors of bacterial adhesion during urinary tract infection. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1720140115
If you eat tons of added sugars and get a real surge in your blood sugar, you may end up with some of that sugar in your urine, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale School of Medicine.
Some foods and beverages, like coffee, booze, and chocolate, can also irritate your delicate urinary tract and exacerbate an existing UTI.
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How To Have Period Sex
The logistics remain pretty much the same when youre having sex, with very slight alterations that can make the experience a little smoother.
1. Use a towel or old bedsheet: Nobody is in the mood to change the bedding and deal with a stained mattress after sex. Lay down a thick towel, preferable one in a dark colour, before you get started. If you cant get a towel, use old folded up bedsheets or be experimental and try the floor – with some sheets, of course.
2. Pick your positions carefully: If you or your partner are new to period sex or at all squeamish about the blood, you may want to avoid the cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, and any other position in which the woman is on top. Stick to missionary and maybe try spooning, to begin with.
3. Shower sex is an option: Shower sex seems sexy in the movies but it is usually tricky in real life, with the water washing away all of your natural lubrication. But during period sex, this wont pose a problem – you have a steady source of natural lubrication in the form of blood. Also, the shower takes care of the mess and theres nothing to clean up after. Win-win.
4. Or try taking a shower right before sex: If your shower doesnt allow you to have sex in there, you can always take a warm shower beforehand. Itll calm your nerves and may even make you forget that youre on your period, at least till you get started.
For more information, read our article on Sex during menstruation.
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Myths And Truths About Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are one of the most common infections in women.
A UTI can occur anywhere along the urinary tract, including in the kidneys and along the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. More commonly, though, infections involve the lower urinary tract: the bladder and the urethra tube that empties urine .
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How Common Are Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are very common, occurring in 1 out of 5 women sometime in their lifetime. Though UTIs are common in women, they can also happen to men, older adults and children. One to 2% of children develop urinary tract infections. Each year, 8 million to 10 million visits to doctors are for urinary tract infections.
You’ve Got Cramps But No Pms
Abdominal cramping and pain are other symptoms of a UTI. However, a lot of women mistake them for PMS cramps, low-back issues, or even muscle soreness from overdoing deadlifts at the gym, Ross says.
Dont fall for it! This is one symptom you should definitely pay attention to, especially if the pain increases over time, is sharp and localized to your lower back, or is accompanied by a fever, she says. This may indicate that the infection has moved up into your kidneys, a potentially serious complication that can land you in the hospital.
You might describe this type of pain might be described as “pressure down there,” Conway notes. Like Ross, Conway says it’s important to seek treatment immediately if this type of pain migrates to your back or you spike a fever.
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Fever Over 101 Degrees
A fever of over 101 degrees is a sign that your body is fighting an infection. If your fever lasts more than a few days, see your doctor to evaluate your symptoms. A high fever does not always indicate PID. However, if your fever is accompanied by pelvic pain or vaginal discharge, it is a strong indication that you are experiencing the symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease.
Please note that any fever that lasts longer than two days requires immediate attention from a medical professional.
Can You Get A Uti By Having Sex While On Your Period
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Other Risk Factors Of Uti After Sex
In general, women are at higher risk than men when it comes to developing a UTI from sex. This is mostly due to anatomy. Women anatomically have shorter urethras than men do and it is closer to the anus making it easier for bacteria to accidentally transfer into the urethra.The shorter length of the urethra makes it faster for bacteria to spread.
For men, anyone who has not been circumcised may be at greater risk of urinary tract infections as bacteria has a greater chance of building up. It is rare for men younger than 50 years old to contract a UTI, the chance of UTI in men goes up as men get older.
Other risk factors specific to women that could make them more susceptible to developing a UTI after sex include:
Can Pms Make You Pee A Lot
Peer Answer: I havent run into the issue of peeing more than normal when I have PMS. Unfortunately, I have experienced the symptoms of a bladder infection. Im not sure whether or not your peeing a lot is related…
This is not intended to be medical advice. Everybody is different so please make sure to consult your physician if you’re having issues. Do not delay or refrain from seeking professional medical advice from your physician because of something you have read on this site.
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Can Having A Uti Delay Your Period
I totally feel for you — Bladder infections are no fun! I’ve never had a bladder infection delay my period, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be the cause. It may be a good time to grab a big ol’ glass of cranberry juice and give your healthcare provider a call.
What a great question! Ive never heard of this happening and did some checking around. It doesnt look like a UTI would really delay your period, but be sure and check out what Sandy has to say on the topic. I also hope you are seeking treatment if you are suffering from a UTI.
Urinary Tract Infections , like any infection, can be upsetting to your body. Your immune system gets geared up to fight the infection and could actually cause some stress on some other body systems. Typically, however, most infections that we get dont make disturbances that we really notice . If your body was feeling really run down or if you had a kidney infection instead of your typical UTI, that certainly could contribute to the delay. I think you should consider some other reasons for a late period.
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Is There Any Correlation Between Utis And Your Menstrual Cycle
Anyone whos ever had a urinary tract infection knows that those nasty buggers can be PAINFUL. Constantly having to pee, but being in extreme pain when you *do* pee?! Why, Mother Nature, whyyyy.
While UTIs are generally correlated with sexual activity, they tend to appear around your period, board-certified gynecologist Dr. Felice Gersh of Integrative Medical Group of Irvine said. Estrogen is anti-inflammatory and this hormone is at its lowest during your menstrual bleed, so you can be more susceptible during this time.
Oh, thats fun.
Naturally, those of us who are more prone to UTIs do everything we can to avoid them. Pee right after sex, wipe front to back, all that good stuff. These are things you should always be doing, but be extra conscientious around that time of the month. Because is there anything worse than the mere thought of getting a UTI on your period?
Answer: nope.
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Can Tampons Or Pads Cause Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infection is no joke. At least 50 percent of women will have at least one urinary tract infection at some point in their lives.
The symptoms of a urinary tract infection can be stubborn and can persist after treatment. Sometimes an infection recurs a few weeks after treatment. Nearly 20 percent of women who have a urinary tract infection will have another, and 30 percent of those who have had two will have a third.
For some women, its almost a constant nuisance. Too many simply learn to live with regularly recurring urinary tract infections. One friend told once compared UTI to a period: Its part of being a woman you just got to accept it and live with it, she said.
So, is it true? Can UTIs be prevented? Is it possible that your choice of feminine hygiene products plays a role in whether youre going to get a urinary tract infection?
First, lets look at the causes of UTI. Most urinary tract infections are caused by a variety of bacteria, including Escherichia coli , found in feces. Because the openings of the bowel, vagina, and urethra are very close together, it’s easy for the bacteria to spread to the urethra and travel up the urinary tract into the bladder and sometimes up to the kidneys.
Keeping it clean down there, wiping front to back, not using douches or wipes with fragrances are the first steps to UTI prevention. But what about those days when you have your period?