Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng answers your sex questions
Q: I have an uncomfortable sensation in the bladder area and have to use the bathroom every few minutes. It seems to get worse during intercourse.
A: It sounds like you have a urinary tract infection. Fortunately, these are easy to diagnose and treat. A simple urine test at your doctor's rooms, followed by a course of antibiotics, will restore your health. Some women have recurrent infections so try to treat it is as soon as possible.
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Often a sexually transmitted disease may have similar symptoms, such as lower abdominal pain and frequent or painful urination; it is important to get a pelvic examination so you can get the right diagnosis and treatment.
Tips to minimise the risk of urinary tract infection:
• Wash your genitals before and after sex - both you and your partner.
• Drink five to eight glasses of water a day to flush toxins out of the bladder.
• Drink 100% cranberry juice. Its acidity helps to stop E. coli from gaining a foothold in the bladder.
• Urinate before and after sex, as well as regularly throughout the day.
• Wipe the vagina from front to back to keep bacteria away from your urethra (the urine pipe in women is short, therefore it is easy for bacteria to reach the bladder).
• Take showers, not baths, so you're not sitting in water that may contain bacteria.
• Avoid douches, spermicides and diaphragms, all of which may increase your risk of infection.
Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng (MBChB), sexual and reproductive health practice, DISA Clinic, 011-886-2286, visit Safersex.co.za
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