Dr. Prudence Hall, a gynecologist and surgeon at The Hall Center in Santa Monica, Caif, tells HollywoodLife.com: “Urinary tract infections cause burning with urination, more frequent urination, and the sensation of needing to urinate immediately. They hurt a lot and it’s hard to mistake those symptoms. If you have had unprotected sex with a new partner, it is important to see your primary care doctor and get an STD panel, as well as a urinalysis and urine culture. Chlamydia, ureaplasma and gonorrhea can all cause symptoms similar to a UTI. If you’re sure you are in an exclusive, committed relationship and have these symptoms, immediately start drinking 10 or more glasses of water per day and begin an over the counter d-mannose (3,000mg – 5,000 per day is the correct dosage, divided in 4 doses throughout the day) and cranberry extract.”
HOW DOES ONE GET A UTI? “UTIs occur when women become dehydrated, have sex, and by not urinating frequently enough. To prevent a UTI from occurring, urinate after sex and drink a glass of water, which will help rinse out any bacteria that may have been pushed into your bladder during sex. If you are prone to UTIs, take 2000 mg of d-mannose after sex and again in 4-8 hours. That greatly decreases the incidence of post sex UTIs. Trying different sexual positions can also help identify which ones increase your UTIs the most. For example, the “missionary” — (man on top) seems to cause the most problems.” She continues, “A UTI can progress to a kidney infection when treatment is delayed. If your bladder symptoms are accompanied by fever, mid-back pain or more than mild bladder distress, see your doctor for treatment right away.”
IF YOU HAVE A UTI, DON’T HAVE SEX. “Part of the reason women get UTIs is that sex pushes bacteria into the urethra that drains the bladder. Having sex while at the height of a bladder infection can exacerbate the infection. It is recommended to abstain from intercourse at least until the pain is gone, or even better, for two days after the pain has subsided.”
It can be awkward to bring it up, but it’s best to be honest and straight forward. There is nothing wrong with getting a UTI — they are extremely common and it has nothing to do with your partner’s “performance.” Reassuring the guy it’s not his “fault” and that you just need a few days to recover should put you both at least.
HollywoodLifers, have you ever had a UTI?