Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most frequent bacterial infections in women. One in two women have had a UTI! If you’ve had one, you know how painful and inconvenient it is.
How do UTIs happen?
UTIs are caused when bacteria enters the urinary tract. This bacteria is almost always E.coli, which moves from the anus and vaginal area into the urinary tract. Sex is a very common trigger for UTIs. If you have a UTI, get to the doctor for antibiotics before the infection turns into something more dangerous.
How can you avoid a UTI?
Stay hydrated, wipe from front to back, and most importantly, pee after sex. Peeing immediately after sex will help get rid of any bacteria that enters the urinary tract.
However, some women are just more prone to UTIs and taking these preventive measures isn’t enough. If you’re still getting UTIs, incorporate Uqora’s drink mix into your after-sex routine. It’ll flush out any stubborn bacteria that gets into your urinary tract.
What’s the correlation between UTIs and your period?
Having a UTI should not directly affect your period but there are other factors that link UTIs and periods, like hormonal imbalances, stress, sex, and hygiene.
Tampons and pads that are not changed regularly enough promote bacterial growth and can increase your chance of getting a UTI. Tampons will not directly cause a UTI though. Using tampons while you have a UTI can cause flare-ups in UTI symptoms. To prevent UTIs in general and especially while you're on your period, good hygiene is key. This means using good quality period products like these ones that are absorbent and free of parabens and dyes, changing your feminine products regularly (never leave a tampon in for more than 6 hours) and keeping yourself clean and dry.
As you know, sex is one of the main causes of UTIs. One reason why it might seem like there's a link between UTIs and periods is because some women have more sex during their period since they are not worried about getting pregnant. Sex during your period can irritate your already sensitized urethra (from your period) making it more susceptible to bacterial infections.
Can UTIs be contributing to your irregular cycle or delaying your period?
Having a late period or an irregular cycle can be disorienting, even more so if you’re experiencing a UTI around the time of your period.
We know UTIs aren’t the direct cause of your late or missed period, but stress is something both UTIs and periods have in common. In times of great emotional or physical stress, it is common to have a late or missed period. Any chronic disease, especially a chronic diseases left untreated, can cause a build-up of stress that affects your period. It is possible, though unlikely, for a UTI to stress you out to a point where you miss your period.
This guest post is from our friends at Uqora, the UTI Prevention Company.
More about Uqora:
Uqora is your go-to for all your UTI prevention needs. You can flush out UTI-causing bacteria with the help of Uqora’s drink mix. Mix a glass with water and drink immediately after UTI-causing activities (usually sex, but exercise and other triggers are common). Uqora helps you stay ahead of UTIs and off antibiotics.
Use code BLUME15 for 15% off your first order at Uqora.com.
