Don't let honeymoon cystitis give you away

If after 24-48 hours of having sexual intercourse, you constantly feel the urge to go to the bathroom, accompanied by pain or burning when urinating, you may be in the presence of Postcoital Cystitis, better known as Honeymoon Cystitis. Below, you will find some tips to avoid falling victim to this nuisance that puts you at risk.

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder that is generally caused by an infection generally caused by bacteria, which enter the urethra and travel to the bladder. The urethra is that tube that allows urine to pass from the bladder to the outside of your body. And it is important that you know that the bacteria can come from the lower segment of the intestines, from the rectal area or from the skin.

In a high percentage of cases of urinary tract infection , whether or not caused by sexual intercourse, the responsible bacterium is Escherichia coli (E. coli). She usually lives in our intestine where she stays in perfect harmony with our body, however, when she leaves that area she can become very aggressive.

A urine infection occurs when E.coli, which should remain in the intestine, begins to colonize the area around the vagina. This is the first step for cystitis to develop because once intestinal bacteria get established around the vagina, they have a much easier time penetrating the urethra and reaching the bladder, wreaking havoc.

The honeymoon cystitis syndrome appears when, thanks to the friction caused during intercourse, the bacteria present in the area manage to penetrate into the urethra. Therefore, the more intense the sexual activity and the more frequently it is practiced, the greater the risk of contracting cystitis.

Symptoms: How to know if mine is Cystitis?

Symptoms may include:

• Need to urinate frequently and urgently
• passing small amounts of urine
• Pain in the abdomen, pelvic area, or lower back
• Burning sensation when urinating
• urine leakage
• Urgency to urinate at night
• Dark-colored, foul-smelling urine
• Blood in the urine
• low fever
• Fatigue

As a simple carelessness can expose your health, it is important that you learn to recognize the factors that increase the risk of suffering from cystitis:

• History of acute cystitis
• sexual activity
• Use of diaphragm or condoms. Since spermicides alter the bacterial flora of the vagina, killing "good" bacteria and facilitating the colonization of bacteria that come from the intestine.
• If you have vaginal penetration,after having anal sex , which greatly exposes you to the migration of bacteria from the intestine into the vagina; favoring the appearance of infections.

And other factors, such as:

• History of urinary infection during childhood.
• Compromised immune system.
• Be pregnant.
• Having a bladder catheter or catheter use.
• Having diseases, such as: Diabetes (type 1 or type 2), kidney stones, kidney transplant or benign prostatic hypertrophy.

What to do if I have Cystitis?

If you present these symptoms, consult a gynecologist , who will verify your state of health and your medical history. He or she will examine you and order a urine test to detect the presence of bacteria.

Your doctor will prescribe the antibiotics indicated for your treatment, as well as other medications to reduce pain and other symptoms.

How to avoid honeymoon cystitis?

Here are some basic daily routine recommendations that will keep you away from infections and help you keep the urinary tract free of bacteria:

• Drink plenty of water : this would cause an increase in the volume of urine and the frequency of urination. Avoiding the accumulation of bacteria.
• Urine after having sex: this is how you wash the urethra and push out the bacteria that could have entered during sexual friction. In addition, the acidic pH of the urine also helps reduce the activity of these bacteria.
• Wipe yourself from front to back after defecating to avoid anus-vulva cross contamination.
• Wash your genitals daily: but be careful with excessive washing , since it can have the opposite effect, because the vaginal flora can be altered, thus facilitating colonization by pathogenic bacteria.
• Under no circumstances use common shower soap or perfumed products , as they can drag and dry out the delicate mucous membrane of the vagina (your protective layer) and alter the pH balance.

Instead, we recommend using a neutral product, such as the #Zenzsual cleansing foam, which cares for the area's delicate acid pH balance and protects it from infection, thanks to its components such as cranberry extract.

• Do not use vaginal deodorants or feminine sprays , as they can cause irritation, expose you to infections and prevent you from recognizing if you are in the presence of a strange scent on your vulva that indicates infections.
• Use a quality lubricant daily: if you have vaginal dryness you may be at greater risk of urinary infection after sex. The less lubricated the woman is at the moment of penetration, the greater the friction during intercourse.

That is why we always recommend moisturizing your genitals daily and during intimate relations with an intimate gel, which is water-based and contains high concentrations of hyaluronic acid, which facilitates the regeneration of tissues affected by dryness.

Keep in mind that the Zenzsual intimate gel responds to these characteristics and keeps you away from infections. You can apply a small amount of this intimate gel, which also contains citric acid that protects you from infections, is organic, not tested on animals, and biocompatible.

• Avoid vaginal penetration, after having anal sex or use different condoms if you do so to avoid the transmission of anal bacteria to your vagina.
• Do not wear tight or synthetic underwear . Prefer cotton and natural fibers that are more comfortable and fresh.
• Consume more cranberry juice in your regular diet . Some studies indicate that it is beneficial for the prevention of urinary infections.

At #TuSaludIntima we live to accompany you to live a healthy sexuality, taking care of your feminine health. Do not let carelessness affect you and take advantage of this information in your favor so that you achieve the well-being and balance that we seek so much.

Along the way, we put Zenzsual products on your order, specially created for your intimate area and we invite you to keep in touch, through our social networks @tusaludintima @doctoraklarasenior @tu_ginecologa. And look for the videos that we leave you on our YouTube channel "TuSaludIntima".

Until next week! When we will continue selecting the most interesting topics that impact and transform your feminine essence.

FOUNTAIN:

• Dr. Klara Senior @doctoraklarasenior
• Dr. Sofía Herrera @tu_ginecologa
• womenshealth.gov
• excelahealth.org
• niddk.nih.gov
• urologyhealth.org