Pearly penile papules can develop more often in men, and urinary tract infections are increasingly common problems among sexually active women. Symptoms include redness of the vulva, vagina, and urethra, skin irritation, and painful urination. This pain when urinating can be mild or extreme. It can physically make urination difficult or, in other cases, it is just a painful sensation that does not physically block the action of urination. Most of the time there is no vaginal discharge. Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria, usually Escherichia Coli bacteria. The infection can last for weeks if it is not treated with medicine. However, symptoms can often be reduced within a day or two with simple home remedies.
Although some women are more sensitive to urinary tract infections than others, the most common reason for the disease appears to be sexual activity. Generally this is due to a lack of cleanliness. One way to reduce the chance of infection is for a woman to have her male sexual partner wash her penis before having sex. Alternatively, a condom can be used. Lubricants should be kept to a minimum and should be washed out of the vagina after intercourse because they can cause infections and, in some women, allergic reactions. There is a much higher risk of infection and allergic reaction with petroleum-based lubricants than with water-based lubricants. Also, unless the woman is trying to get pregnant, semen should be washed out of the vagina after sex to prevent infection.
Always wash the vagina with water or with a specially made feminine wash or douche. Never wash with soap!
One last thing to keep in mind about getting a urinary tract infection involves anal sex. If a woman’s partner penetrates her rectum with their penis, she should not allow her to insert the penis into her vagina afterwards without cleaning it first. Going back and forth between holes is a common way to get infected.
A woman should always stay hydrated. Drinking a gallon of water a day can help prevent urinary tract infections. When a woman is infected, drinking a gallon of water a day can help clear the infection and relieve symptoms.
For some women, drinking half a gallon or more of cranberry juice a day can reduce or eliminate painful urination once they are infected. It is not clear why this happens and it does not work for everyone. However, women who find this treatment effective may find that it is the cheapest and fastest way to reduce the pain of infection.
It should be noted that drinking water and cranberry juice and cleaning the genitals with a female wash will only help reduce symptoms; they will not treat the underlying cause of the condition. To treat bacterial infection, short-term antibiotic treatment is usually effective. Antibiotics used for this reason include trimethoprim, cephalosporins, nitrofurantoin, and fluoroquinolone. Without treatment, 50% of women recover within a few days or weeks. With a treatment with antibiotics the recovery is much faster. Some antibiotics only require 3 days of treatment, while others, such as nitrofurantoin, require 7 days.
Women with recurrent urinary tract infections can request refills over the phone. It is recommended that they treat themselves and only go for medical follow-up if treatment fails or if there are complications.
