It takes time for a urinary tract infection to heal, even with antibiotics to treat it. But do you have to wait until you're in the clear to have sex again? Having sex can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract — and this can lead to a urinary tract infection UTI. In fact, you may feel so much better that you're ready to have sex again. But will sex just make your UTI worse? When you meet with your doctor to get treatment for your UTI symptoms , be sure to ask when if it's safe for you to have sex with your partner again.
Did my partner get her bladder infection from me? - Harvard Health
A urinary tract infection UTI can be painful enough to cause a temporary loss of interest in sex. Once the infection starts to clear up, however, some people wonder if it is safe to have sex again. Doctors usually recommend avoiding sex until the infection has cleared up completely. This is because having sex may irritate the urinary tract and can push bacteria into the urethra, worsening the infection.
The Link Between UTIs and Sex: Causes and How to Prevent Them
Urinary tract infections UTIs are common. UTIs can develop anywhere in the urinary tract, from the urethra to the kidneys. Symptoms include:. A UTI can irritate the sensitive tissue in your urinary tract, and sexual activity can irritate those tissues even more. Sexual activity can also increase your risk of complications and potentially put your partner at risk.
Tiny microbes travel up the urethra and into the bladder, causing an infection to occur in the lower urinary tract. While easily treatable, UTIs can spread into your upper urinary tract and cause a myriad of problems. There are many things that can increase your risk for developing a UTI, one of them being sex. A urinary tract infection can happen to anyone of any age, even babies. One reason for this is due to the anatomical differences in urethra length between men and women.