Honeymoon cystitis - how to prevent it
Janine Berdelmann studied social sciences and completed her traineeship in the editorial team. She is the author of numerous science news and advice topics on .
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.Many women experience painful honeymoon cystitis after having sex. Read here where it comes from and what you can do.
Sex is considered the most beautiful thing in the world. But the act of love can sometimes have painful consequences, especially for women. Aided by sex, bacteria rise up in the urethra and lodge in the bladder. But there are a few effective recipes for honeymoon cystitis.
In any case, women are four times as likely to suffer from cystitis as men. Because your urethra is much shorter, bacteria have a much shorter way to the bladder.
But sexual intercourse increases the risk even further. The reason: the human skin is literally littered with bacteria. And during sex, these are transported to areas of the body that are particularly difficult to defend themselves. This happens particularly easily with women because their vagina, anus and urethral opening are close together. And the “mechanical friction” does the rest of transporting the germs from the anal region into the urethra.
Prevent honeymoon cystitis
The consequences of a cystitis are painful drawing and burning sensation when urinating, pressure on the bladder or abdominal cramps. Women who have already suffered from it after sex quickly lose the desire to talk to the bed. But that need not be. There are a few simple rules that can help prevent cystitis.
Proper intimate hygiene
Before intercourse, both parties can do a few things to prevent honeymoon cystitis. Proper care of the genital area, for example, makes it particularly difficult for bacteria. It is therefore best to wash yourself with running water before intercourse. Avoid using soap or personal detergent. Because these can attack the protective acid mantle of the skin and bacteria can even make the attack easier.
Be careful with anal intercourse
In most cases, cystitis is caused by so-called E. coli bacteria - these are mainly found in the intestines. That is why you should not switch immediately from anal to vaginal sex during intercourse. Two different condoms should also be used here.
Rinse out germs
For many couples, cuddling is part of the process after sex. Even so, you should quickly go to the toilet and urinate immediately after the act. This allows germs to be flushed out that could otherwise lead to a honeymoon bladder infection.
The right contraceptive
Sometimes the contraceptive is to blame for a honeymoon bladder infection. Especially women who suffer from it more often should think about a change. Women who use diaphragm or IUD contraception have a higher risk of infections. But chemical contraceptives can also change the vaginal flora. If you want reliable protection against honeymoon bladder infections after sex, you should use condoms. They reliably protect against infection.
Drink, drink, drink!
Make sure you always drink enough, including before and after sex. This will give you enough urine to keep bacteria from spreading and honeymoon cystitis. Two liters per day are recommended for adults.
