The Important “After Romance” Step

By Lisa D. Ellis

You just spent an intimate moment with your partner, and now you’re ready to fall into a deep, relaxed asleep. But before you curl up and embrace some sweet dreams, experts stress the importance of taking a few minutes to visit the bathroom.

The Risk that Exists

When you think about your sexual encounter, you don’t want to mar your memories by thinking about the chances of it causing a urinary tract or bladder infection. But in fact, the risk does exist. This is because when you engage in sex, even with your long-time spouse or partner, you are opening up your body to the possibility that common bacteria can enter. Relieving yourself in the bathroom is an easy, but also very effective, way to help flush those unwanted germs away.

Preventative Steps

In addition to going to the bathroom after sex, there are a host of other steps you can take to help prevent a bladder infection from taking shape. These can include:

• Going to the bathroom frequently to help remove the bacteria and also keep it from multiplying.

• Drinking lots of water or juice to help flush out your system.

• Wiping yourself from front to back to prevent bacteria from spreading.

• Avoiding contact with products that can be irritating, such as douches or perfumed soaps and wipes.

The Symptoms of a Bladder Infection

When despite your best efforts, the bacteria does have a chance to cause a bladder infection, you may experience a wide array of symptoms, including a frequent need to urinate, the feeling that you can’t empty your bladder completely (or even an inability to empty it at all), and pain, burning, or pressure in your bladder. These symptoms often come on suddenly, and can become very severe over the course of the day.

Seek Treatment When Needed

If you do think you could have a bladder infection, it is important to seek medical attention promptly so that it doesn’t get worse. Fortunately, most urinary tract or bladder infections respond quickly to medication.

Furthermore, if you find yourself experiencing frequent infections and none of these preventative measures work, you should also talk to your doctor about other things you can do to help improve your bladder health.