Spring Break
Physical, sexual activity are different
Kathy Greaves
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Forum
Keep in mind that bacteria normally cover the outside of your body and the inside of your mouth. What is probably happening is the bacteria on your hands and in your mouth are getting into your girlfriend's urethra during sexual activity, and that is what is causing these infections.
Some women are more susceptible to UTIs than other women, some women are more likely to get UTIs when they are younger and some women report that they contract UTIs with certain sexual partners, but not others.
There are two things she can do to prevent them in the future.
The first is to urinate soon after sexual activity. That way, if bacteria did get into the urethra, she can urinate them out before they have a chance to get back to the bladder.
The second thing she can do is drink six to eight ounces of cranberry juice a day. There is something in cranberry juice that keeps the bacteria from taking hold and multiplying in the bladder.
I also want to point out that cranberry juice is not a cure for a bladder infection, but rather a preventative measure.
If she gets another bladder infection, cranberry juice will not make it go away. The only thing that makes a bacterial infection go away is an antibiotic, which is probably what she has been getting.
Kathy Greaves Ph.D., is a senior instructor at OSU in the department of human development and family sciences. The opinions expressed in her columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Daily Barometer staff. Greaves can be reached at kathy.greaves@oregonstate.edu or by placing questions in the box at the MU information desk. All questions submitted to Greaves are subject to being answered in her Dr. Sex column.
Some women are more susceptible to UTIs than other women, some women are more likely to get UTIs when they are younger and some women report that they contract UTIs with certain sexual partners, but not others.
There are two things she can do to prevent them in the future.
The first is to urinate soon after sexual activity. That way, if bacteria did get into the urethra, she can urinate them out before they have a chance to get back to the bladder.
The second thing she can do is drink six to eight ounces of cranberry juice a day. There is something in cranberry juice that keeps the bacteria from taking hold and multiplying in the bladder.
I also want to point out that cranberry juice is not a cure for a bladder infection, but rather a preventative measure.
If she gets another bladder infection, cranberry juice will not make it go away. The only thing that makes a bacterial infection go away is an antibiotic, which is probably what she has been getting.
Kathy Greaves Ph.D., is a senior instructor at OSU in the department of human development and family sciences. The opinions expressed in her columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Daily Barometer staff. Greaves can be reached at kathy.greaves@oregonstate.edu or by placing questions in the box at the MU information desk. All questions submitted to Greaves are subject to being answered in her Dr. Sex column.
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