Urinary infection, link with sex?

This is so frustrating! I know! This happens to so many women, and there are a few things you can do to help prevent the recurrence of UTIs.

1. If you have been diagnosed with a UTI, it is advisable to avoid sexual intercourse until symptoms have been gone for at least two weeks.
2. Drink 6 - 8 glasses of water a day (the thought is that this can help "flush out" bacteria).
3. Your bladder already contains bacteria, and what you want to do is prevent the introduction of more bacteria to your urethra (so that the bacteria does not add up to infectious amounts). You can do this by making sure you are well lubricated during sex (either from your natural vaginal secretions and/or by using a lubricant such as Aqua Glide). You can change positions so that your partner is not rubbing directly against your urethra, as the female anatomy does lend itself to UTIs, simply because the vagina and urethra are so close in proximity.
4. Emptying your bladder before and after sex could help flush out bacteria, which can reduce your risk.
5. You are right--sexual intercourse and/or penetration can push bacteria into the bladder, even if you adhere to the above suggestions. I had frequent UTIs also when I first became sexually active, and my doctor said I would "grow out of them". He was right, and it only happened with that one partner. Try changing positions, make sure you are well lubricated, and use the bathroom before and after sex. I am not sure if this is still a common practice, but I received a prescription that I could take BEFORE intercourse to prevent a UTI...and it worked really well. It helped take my mind off of being nervous about a UTI. You can ask your doctor about this prescription (I do not remember the name of the medication; it was too long ago, and I am not sure about any side effects of taking this drug, so it may not be the healthiest alternative).

It is also recommended that you ask your health care professional to test to see what the specific kind of bacteria is when you have a UTI, as many doctors will prescribe antibiotics based on symptoms alone....and that specific antibiotic may not "cure" the UTI completely, as it may be caused from a different organism than what the medication is for...then the bacteria can come back (in infectious amounts), and you can have UTI symtpoms all over again. It is important to know if your UTI is recurrent with the same bacteria that was not treated properly, or if you are becoming re-infected with a UTI after the initial UTI was properly treated.

I hope this helps!

[Source: Go Ask Alice]