Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Katie Harrison physical health, sexual health, vagina and vulva

Worried about UTIs and cystitis? Fumble gets to the bottom of that burning feeling when you pee

Urinary Tract Infections (or UTIs for short) are common infections that affect your urinary tract which includes your bladder, urethra (the tube that carries pee out of the body) or the kidneys. Anyone can get a UTI, but they’re more common in people with a vagina. In fact, more than half of people with a vagina will experience at least one UTI during their lifetime, so don’t panic!

What are UTIs?

A UTI is exactly the same as any other bacterial infection you may get in your body – in this case it just happens to be taking place in your urinary tract and infections here are usually caused by bacteria from poo entering the urinary tract. An infection of the urethra is called urethritis and an infection in the bladder is called cystitis. Sometimes, the bacteria can travel up from the bladder to the kidneys causing a kidney infection.

People with a vagina are more likely to get a UTI because their urethra is shorter than people with a penis and is closer to their anus. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause an infection.

Like most bacterial infections it can be treated with a course of antibiotics – but because all this is going on in your crotch, it’s often viewed as a taboo subject and lots of people feel embarrassed talking about it.

How do I know if I have a UTI?

Oh trust me, you’ll know. Think about that feeling of being excruciatingly, desperately in need of a wee, maybe when you’re stuck on a train or in a queue. Got it? Now, imagine what would happen if that feeling just never went away…

It’s giving me shivers just thinking about it.

The first and most noticeable symptom of a UTI is a sudden need to pee or peeing more often, accompanied by a painful or burning sensation when peeing, but other symptoms include:

smelly or cloudy pee
blood in your pee
pain in your lower tummy
feeling unwell, weak or feverish

Doesn’t sound fun, huh?

Where has it come from?

Let’s make one thing clear here: a UTI is NOT a sexually transmitted infection. You can’t catch a UTI by having sex with someone who has, or has had, a UTI. But is closely related to sex, as getting frisky in the sheets can often lead to bacteria going into the urinary tract. If you start experiencing symptoms, then putting your fumbles on hold for a little while is usually a good idea.

But, UTIs can also be caused by using tampons improperly, overusing perfumed soap in intimate areas (which can cause irritation) or not emptying your bladder fully – although this is more common for people who are pregnant.

How do I get rid of it?

It’s not all bad news – UTIs often go away on their own, or they can be treated with a course of antibiotics (make sure you finish the course even if you’re feeling better!) from either your GP, a walk-in centre or most sexual health clinics.

There’s been research that cranberries can help with mild symptoms, and many swear by taking cranberry tablets that you can get over the counter at a pharmacy. It’s really important to stay hydrated, as you would with any other infection, and painkillers can help with irritation in the short-term. You can also use a hot water bottle to help with tummy pain.

But, you must see a GP if:

you’re a man or you have a penis with symptoms of a UTI
you’re pregnant and have symptoms of a UTI
you haven’t had a UTI before
you have blood in your pee
your symptoms don’t improve within a few days
your symptoms come back after treatment

An untreated UTI can develop into a much more serious kidney infection, so if you fit any of the list above, start to have pain in your sides or lower back, or you experience nausea, diarrhoea or temperature, then you need to get to a GP sharpish.

How do I stop it coming back?

Has anyone ever told you to pee after sex? This is why! Running to the bathroom may not be the sexiest thing in the world, but it’s the best way of making sure that your urinary tract is totally clear of any bacteria from the bedroom that shouldn’t be there, especially if you have a vagina. And if you have time, taking a shower for the same reason is also a good idea.

Other things you can do to stop it coming back are:

wiping from front to back when you go to the toilet
keep the genital area clean and dry
drink plenty of water

UTIs can take it out of you, so make sure you take the time to recover properly. Building up good habits and looking after your body will help to ensure that your infection clears up quickly, and hopefully never returns – but if it does, you know what to do.

And there we have it!

Keep smiling, stay hydrated and – if you are comfortable doing so – you can share and laugh about this later with friends who have probably been through exactly the same thing.