Urinary Problems: When Trips to the Toilet Eclipse Sexual Enjoyment

A sufferer of chronic bladder problems finds that the issue frequently interferes with their sex life.

Case #: 774

Concern：

Since I was 13, I’ve had bladder problems. When I was in school, I had to notify all my teachers about my pre-existing condition. When I started to work full-time, I also had to notify my employer of my minor problem. Now, as an adult, I can manage my issue a bit more, except for one area of my life: sex. My bladder problem stymies my sexual enjoyment often. I take multiple breaks to relieve myself, and going to the restroom a minimum of three times an hour can really hamper anyone’s sex drive.

Discussion：

It's understandable why having to run to the restroom several times an hour might be a mood-kill in the bedroom. Most bladder problems, including UTI, can have a deleterious effect on your sex drive by causing pain during sex and frequent urination. While you and your partner are thinking erotic thoughts and anticipating a passionate pleasure session, you would both prefer if you could just forget about mundane bodily functions for a little while. No one should have to dread the next time their bladder will call a halt to the fun of lovemaking.

UTI and Cranberries

Since we don't know the precise nature of your bladder problems, I'll talk a little about UTI. Caused by foreign bacteria entering and establishing itself in the urinary tract, urethra, kidneys, or bladder, UTI affects women more often than men. At least 50 percent of women will contract UTI at least once, and some women get recurring (chronic) UTI for extended portions of their lifetimes.

Although most doctors prescribe antibiotics for UTI, this approach may only be necessary in cases of advanced infection, or for infections that have spread to the kidneys. If you get recurring UTI, you definitely don't want to be popping antibiotics every few weeks. Cranberry is a popular UTI remedy among those of us who would prefer to avoid unpleasant side effects from powerful pharmaceutical drugs. Although the medical community is still divided over the effectiveness of cranberry as a UTI treatment, there are many experts and suffers alike who swear by it.

The current theory on why cranberry might help prevent or treat UTI hinges on its hippuric acid and benzoic acid content. These substances have been shown to affect the bacteria that cause UTI without changing the pH levels in urine. That means that, unlike citric acid or other acids that harm the lining of the bladder, cranberry is tough on bacteria but gentle on you. When bacteria floating through the urinary tract comes in contact with these acids, it loses its ability to attach to mucous membranes, and is flushed out with urine.

If you have another chronic bladder problem, such as interstitial cystitis or chronic incontinence, cranberries can still help prevent and control bacterial infections. However, they may not help you cut down on the number of trips you need to make to the restroom.

How to Regain Control

You can add cranberry to your diet by drinking cranberry juice or taking supplements. (SEE: Cranberry for Urinary Problems) If you choose cranberry juice over capsules, make sure to track down the pure, unsweetened variety. Otherwise, you might end up with a juice cocktail that contains more refined sugar and added citric acid than cranberry, which definitely won't help, and might add to your problems. Citric acid can make urination more painful, and bacteria enjoy sugars as much as humans do.

Many bladder issues can also be improved by avoiding certain foods, including coffee and citrus fruits.

Your doctor should be the final authority on whatever treatment route you decide to take, since he or she will know more about the root cause of your problems than we do.