Bladder infection after sex

As women, we often have it a bit harder than men. Of course, being a woman also has various advantages that we enjoy, but one downside is that we have to deal with hormones that seem to have a life of their own and the pH balance of our vulva, which can easily be thrown off by the slightest thing.

Ailments
We may not like to talk about it, but having a vulva is not always a bed of roses. When the balance between good and bad bacteria is disrupted, you can quickly suffer from a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. Dirty fingers, washing with soap, or wearing tight pants; the cause is often difficult to pinpoint. It doesn't help with the symptoms, but it's a comforting thought that almost everyone with a vulva has dealt with these ailments at some point. So don't be ashamed to talk about it and ask for advice.

Length difference in urethra
A penis has a longer urethra than a vulva. This makes it harder for bacteria to climb all the way up to the bladder in a penis and cause trouble there. Because the route that bacteria have to travel in a vulva is much shorter, they often get the chance to cause an infection. A bladder infection is therefore a condition that rarely occurs in men and people with a penis.

Cause of bladder infection
Women and people with a vagina are therefore more likely to suffer from a bladder infection, but how do you ensure that this trouble is spared from you? If you think too long about sex, it’s actually just a dirty business. During intercourse, bacteria from both partners are transferred from one body to the other. Especially in the intimate areas, you exchange quite a bit of juice and germs. What happens more often than you think is that E. coli, or the poop bacteria, are pushed from the anus towards the vagina during sex. By not using the same condom or the same fingers from the anus to the vagina, you largely prevent this, but it still happens that bacteria walk from one hole to another during sex. These bacteria can cause a bladder infection.

Preventing bladder infection
There are a lot of people who never suffer from a bladder infection. These lucky ones don’t really have to pay attention or take measures. If you are someone who occasionally suffers from the oh-so-annoying bladder infection, keep these tips in mind.

1. Drink plenty of water. When your body is well-hydrated, you urinate regularly and keep the urethra free of bacteria.
2. Urinate after sex. You can cuddle for another half hour, but make sure to ‘rinse’ the urethra before you fall asleep.
3. Take cranberry tablets. Vitamin C makes your urine slightly more acidic, which helps flush the bacteria away.
4. Sleep without underwear. This prevents it from getting humid in your underwear and the bacteria from multiplying rapidly.