Have sex during a urinary tract infection, is it okay?

Urinary tract infection is one of the most common diseases in women. However, men can experience it too. This disease causes symptoms in the form of pain when urinating, the smell of urine is strong, and the color of urine is cloudy or sometimes bloody.

If you or your partner is experiencing it, there may be doubts between stopping and continuing to have sex. So, is it okay to have sex when you have a urinary tract infection or do you have to stop it first? Here's the explanation.

Should you stop having sex during a urinary tract infection?

The cause of urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that attacks the urinary tract. This causes symptoms such as pain when urinating, urination that becomes more frequent, chewing, cloudy colored urine or even bleeding. Some people also experience symptoms such as fever as well as nausea and vomiting.

This disease is more prone to attack women, especially those who are sexually active. This is because the urethra (the tube that excretes urine from the bladder) in a woman's body is shorter than that of a man. In addition, the vagina is very close to the bladder, making it vulnerable to bacteria.

Keep in mind, sex can be the beginning of an infection in the urinary tract. Having sex can make urinary tract infection symptoms worse.

The reason is, sex can push the bacteria around the vagina further into the body through penetration so that this will make the bacteria stay and stick to the lining of the bladder, then grow and multiply there.

Then if this has happened, the next question is whether it is safe to have sex when you have a urinary tract infection.

Actually, it's okay to have sex with your partner even when you have a urinary tract infection. However, it would be better if you stopped having sex for a while.

During sexual intercourse, any object that enters the vagina, be it fingers, sex toys, or penis, can exert excessive pressure on the urinary tract organs. As a result, the bladder will squeeze even more and trigger pain during sexual intercourse.

Can urinary tract infections be transmitted to partners?

The good news, sex with a partner who has a urinary tract infection is not contagious. This disease is not the same as other sexually transmitted diseases. You also won't catch urinary tract infections after using the same toilet seat.

However, keep in mind that insisting on having sex can exacerbate the symptoms of infection. Penetration will put pressure on the urinary tract which may make you feel uncomfortable.

So, it's best to make an agreement with your partner to hold off on sex until the infection in your urinary tract clears and the affected area heals.

Tips for safe sex when suffering from urinary tract infections

When you are diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help treat urinary tract infections that you or your partner have.

The doctor will also usually provide some food and drink restrictions that you should avoid to facilitate recovery. In this case, having sex could be one of the things that it is advisable not to do.

Treatment of urinary tract infections usually takes about one to two weeks for the symptoms to subside and be completely cured. After that, then you and your partner can return to having sex as usual.

However, if you decide that you want to keep having sex even when you are infected, do these tips to make it safer.

1. Watch for signs of infection.If you suddenly want to urinate, stop sexual activity immediately. The reason is, holding back urination can put pressure on the bladder, aggravating the symptoms of infection.
2. Urinate before and after sex.This is useful for washing away the bacteria found in the urethra of you or your partner. Thus, the risk of infection can be minimized.
3. Avoid oral sex and anal sex.These two sexual activities can transfer bacteria from the vagina to the anus and mouth or vice versa. As a result, the risk of spreading bacteria will be greater and more widespread.
4. Clean yourself immediately after sex. Especially in the genital area, clean by washing your hands from front to back (vagina to anus) so that bacteria from the anus are not carried forward and worsen the infection.
5. Routinely check with the doctor. Perform regular checks to find out the progress of urinary tract infections you or your partner. Ask your doctor when is the best time to return to sexual intercourse after being declared cured.