Bladder pain after sex is more common than you might think and can be caused by several different factors. It’s important to seek medical attention if you have bladder pain after sex so that the underlying cause can be treated.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can also cause bladder pain after sex. These infections include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes.
Bladder pain syndrome
Bladder pain syndrome, also known as interstitial cystitis, is a chronic condition that causes pain, pressure and urgency in the bladder area. It affects between 1 and 4 million women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) in the United States. It can also cause a feeling of burning when you pee. This condition can be caused by a variety of factors, including unprotected sex and certain medications.
If you have pain when you pee, you should see your doctor right away. Your doctor will examine your body and take a medical history to find out what may be causing the problem. They will also perform tests such as a urine test and a cystoscopy to get a closer look at your bladder and surrounding organs.
Some home remedies can help relieve bladder pain after sex, such as wiping from front to back after going to the bathroom and using cotton underwear instead of nylon or panties. You can also try using a heating pad or sitting in a warm tub to relieve the pain. If you are taking any medications, you should tell your doctor about them. Some drugs like diuretics, which are used to treat high blood pressure, can irritate your bladder and make you feel the need to pee more often.
Interstitial cystitis
Your bladder is a hollow muscular organ that stores urine until it’s full. Nerve signals to the brain tell your body when it’s time to release the urine. When this happens, the bladder muscles squeeze and force the urine out of your body through the urethra (the tube that carries the urine from your bladder).
The movements during sex can introduce bacteria from the rectum into the urethra and up into the bladder. This can cause cystitis, which is painful and unpleasant. It’s more common in women than in men, and it may be aggravated by certain sexual practices and by conditions such as IBS and vulvodynia.
Symptoms of interstitial cystitis are similar to those of a urinary tract infection, but the pain is more chronic. Treatment is mostly about managing symptoms, and it may take weeks or months before the pain goes away. To make a diagnosis, your doctor will perform a pelvic exam and a urinalysis. If these are normal, he or she will probably recommend a cystoscopic examination in which your bladder is distended with liquid or gas while you’re asleep and the doctor looks inside your bladder with a lighted telescopic instrument called a cystoscope.
Urinary tract infections
If you have pain when you pee after sex, it is usually a sign that there’s an infection in your bladder or the tube that carries pee from your bladder (the urethra). This condition is called cystitis. It’s often a problem for women, but can also affect men who have a penis.
The bacteria that cause UTIs can come from the rectum and the area around it, or they may travel from the genitals down to the urethra during sex. This is especially common in women who use a diaphragm or spermicide as their form of birth control. The friction of sex can cause the bacteria to cling to the anal lining and make it easier for them to reach the bladder.
Getting a UTI can be a big problem, especially for pregnant women because the bacteria can travel to the kidneys and damage them. To help prevent this, be sure to empty your bladder frequently and use a lubricant. You can also clean your genitals with soap and water before and after sex, and wipe from front to back.
Hormonal imbalances
Hormonal imbalances are caused by changes or dysfunction in the glands that produce hormones. These changes or dysfunction may be due to medications, cancer treatment, diet and nutrition, stress, genetic disorders and certain diseases. Both men and women can have hormonal imbalances. However, women experience them more often. This is especially true during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
There are many symptoms of hormonal imbalance, and the type of hormone will influence the signs and symptoms. For example, fatigue is common in most hormonal imbalances. Irritability is more common in imbalances involving female hormones, male hormones or both. Weight changes, heart rate changes and cholesterol changes are also common.
If you are experiencing any of these problems, it is important to see a doctor. A doctor will perform advanced hormone testing to determine what is causing the imbalance and provide you with the right treatment plan. A physician at Parsley Health in Lake Success can recommend natural or herbal supplements, as well as make dietary and lifestyle changes, to help balance your hormone levels and alleviate your bladder pain.
Medications
A urinary tract infection can cause pain in the penis, testicles and bottom, as well as a burning sensation when you pee. This type of pain can be relieved with prescription or over-the-counter antifungal medications.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause inflammation in the genital area, which can make sex painful or uncomfortable. These infections can also cause itching, discharge and sores on the genitals.
Interstitial cystitis, or IC, is a chronic bladder condition that can cause pain and pressure in the bladder and pelvic area after sex. It’s not clear what causes IC, but it may be related to changes in the bladder lining or problems with nerves. Women are more likely to have IC than men.
Doctors will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms to find the cause of your pain. You may need blood or urine tests to check for a bladder infection or other problems. Your doctor may also order imaging tests, such as an intravenous pyelogram that uses a dye to highlight the kidneys, ureters and bladder.
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