‘Honeymoon’ Cystitis
Your honeymoon:
Oh those special nights you dream of… romantic candle-lit dinners, a glass of wine and lovemaking, proceeded by an interrupted day at the beach with a constant urge to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating and pain or pressure in the pelvic area. Wait, maybe “romantic” is not the word to describe this honeymoon.
These are symptoms of a type of urinary tract infection called, cystitis. It is often referred to as ‘honeymoon cystitis’ because frequent sexual activity is the leading cause of this form of infection. Fortunately, this type of UTI is not limited to your honeymoon however, it can basically occur at any time.
So what is cystitis?
Cystitis is a very common form of a UTI; it is essentially inflammation of the bladder. The most commonly diagnosed form of cystitis is bacterial. Bacterial cystitis occurs when E.coli gets into the bladder through the urethra during sexual intercourse. Once the E.coli get into the urinary tract, the infection develops and the inflammation occurs.
Don’t go canceling your honeymoon yet, or vowing to remain abstinent! While cystitis can really be a miserable experience there are methods of prevention:
- Urinate and gently wash the genital area after intercourse
- Drink fluids
- Do not hold urine in for too long
- Take supplements that contain proanthocyanidins (YouT)
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