Wait, a UTI isn’t a STI?
Happy new year Lyndsey! I really need your help, comments, or suggestions..ok I have a partner who i am being sexually active with, and he always uses a condom. Yesterday I had this really bad pain in my lower abdomen and I felt the need of peeing…but I couldn’t pee and when i peed my vagina started to hurt really bad and it was burning..later that day i had to pee again constantly and i started to bleed really bad but chunks. then i didnt bleed anymore and it stop, but is starting back. i strongly believe is not my period..what should i do? Or why is this happening??
Thank you for writing me and I am very sorry to hear about your pain. What you are describing does not sound pleasant! Let me begin by saying that any information or advice given here is not a replacement for actual medical advice, and that my first suggestion to see a medical professional. With that out of the way, what you describe sounds most like a urinary tract infection and less like a sexually transmitted infection (repeat: the ONLY way to know is to go to a medical professional). So, what exactly is a UTI and what makes a UTI different from a sexually transmitted infection?
A urinary tract infection happens when bacteria (most frequently E Coli) enter and multiply in the urinary tract. Common symptoms of a UTI are: frequent need to urinate met by an inability to actually pee, burning pain while urinating, lower back and abdominal pain, blood or pus in urine, and fever. UTIs are also very easily treated with antibiotics, but you have to go to a doctor or health center for the prescription. (Please note: it is very important to seek treatment: UTIs can travel up the urinary tract into the bladder and kidney, leading to much more severe infections.)
How does a UTI happen? As always, there is more than one answer to this question. For women, UTIs are frequently associated with sexual activity because sex play (penises, fingers, toys, tongues) can move E Coli bacteria from the anus to the urinary tract. But, it is easy for very small amounts of feces to enter the urethra through other means as well (wiping back to front after using the restroom for instance), and some women are very sensitive getting UTIs very easily.
For men, in whom UTIs are far less common. This is because because men have longer urethra than women, and their anuses are further away from the urethra. They can occur from sexual activity, and are more likely to happen in men who have enlarged prostates or scar tissue in the urethra.
Urinary tract infections are different from STIs because they are not passed from person to person, but the symptoms can be very similar. So one more time (last time, I promise), the only way to know what you have and get the proper testing/treatment is to go to a doctor, health center, or clinic.
I bet you are wondering if there are ways to prevent UTI’s-absolutely!
The first is to simply stay hydrated by drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily. Not only is this helpful in terms of general health, but frequent urinating helps to clear out the urinary tract. Additionally, make sure that when nature calls, you follow-not peeing when your bladder is full can give bacteria more opportunity to grow and can irritate the urinary tract.
Secondly, drink cranberry juice (some people also suggest pills of concentrated cranberry extract). Many have heard of the “magic” of cranberry juice in preventing UTIs, but few know why it actually works. To quote the New England Journal of Medicine “cranberry juice contains proanthocyanidins that appear to inhibit the attachment of pathogens to uroepithelium.” So what does that mean in non-science terms? It means the cranberry juice contains molecules that keep bacteria from clinging to the walls of the bladder, making it harder for them to reproduce, and easier for the body to wash them away. (If you are really into the science, the article is titled Acute Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection in Women.)
Finally, peeing shortly after sexual activity (10-15 minutes) can help flush bacteria from the urinary tract and help keep an infection from taking hold. Remember though, this will not help prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection.
One final note of caution, the antibiotics that are often used to treat urinary tract infections can also lead to yeast infections, so you may want to ask your doctor about this upfront. A lot of doctors will go ahead and prescribe the oral treatment for a yeast infection along with your UTI medication. Many find this incredibly helpful!
Here’s to good luck and a quick recovery!
Take care,
Lyndsey
Did I leave something out? I’d love to hear your questions and comments! Please send your questions to lyndsey@feministsforchoice.com.
