Can I have sex with my (male) partner when he has a UTI?
March 20, 2012 3:38 PM Subscribe
Can I have sex with my (male) partner when he has a urinary tract infection?
My partner has a medical condition which makes him very prone to urinary tract infections. I did some Google searches for UTIs and men, and since they are so much more common in women, all the men-centered advice was about how to not get it from your female partner. In other words, they all assumed it was the woman who had it. And I could not find anything about what to do if it's the man who has it.
He is currently in the middle of the second one he's had since he's been with me, and the pattern so far has been that he has a day or so where he is very tired and sleepy, has some sore muscles etc. Then he goes to the doctor, gets a prescription and spends a day feeling just awful. Then within 24 hours, he feels so much better and wants to cheer himself up with sex.
I have been hesitant to indulge him in this. I am not sure if it's possible for me to get the infection from him, or if I will damage him by engaging in these activities prematurely. He says there is no risk to me because it's a separate, um, channel, from where the UTI is. And he says that if he is feeling up for it, that means he is not in any pain and I won't hurt him.
So, what are the rules for this? I have told him to clarify with his doctor, but I would love some informal advice while we wait.
My partner has a medical condition which makes him very prone to urinary tract infections. I did some Google searches for UTIs and men, and since they are so much more common in women, all the men-centered advice was about how to not get it from your female partner. In other words, they all assumed it was the woman who had it. And I could not find anything about what to do if it's the man who has it.
He is currently in the middle of the second one he's had since he's been with me, and the pattern so far has been that he has a day or so where he is very tired and sleepy, has some sore muscles etc. Then he goes to the doctor, gets a prescription and spends a day feeling just awful. Then within 24 hours, he feels so much better and wants to cheer himself up with sex.
I have been hesitant to indulge him in this. I am not sure if it's possible for me to get the infection from him, or if I will damage him by engaging in these activities prematurely. He says there is no risk to me because it's a separate, um, channel, from where the UTI is. And he says that if he is feeling up for it, that means he is not in any pain and I won't hurt him.
So, what are the rules for this? I have told him to clarify with his doctor, but I would love some informal advice while we wait.
You should be fine if you wear a condom. If not... well, fluids travel. Women get UTIs from sex more frequently than men because the orifices are so close together. I wouldn't risk it if I were you.
posted by supercres at 3:49 PM on March 20, 2012
posted by supercres at 3:49 PM on March 20, 2012
I don't know if the bacteria involved in a UTI will colonize in a human mouth/throat... but there might be other options to vaginal sex if you're willing!
posted by sbutler at 3:49 PM on March 20, 2012
posted by sbutler at 3:49 PM on March 20, 2012
Condoms are the answer to avoid catching his UTI from penis-in-vagina intercourse. He isn't at all accurate that there is no risk to you.
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:53 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:53 PM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
I am not a doctor, but I am kind of a whore. Also, and completely unrelatedly, in fact, I'm a guy who gets UTIs regularly.
UTIs, as you know, are infections somewhere along the tract, often nowhere near the penis itself, and are usually caused by E. Coli. Like most bacteria, E. Coli is all around (and in!) us. And it's not like someone with a UTI is like a fountain of E. Coli. He's not like, going to necessarily introduce E. Coli into your urethra, unless you're doing sex pretty funky. And it's not a disease where someone's technically "contagious," which I dislike hearing above; that's why it's not classified as a sexually transmitted disease.
Still, all told, I think the jury is a little bit still out on this one, and it seems like that's a great time to use condoms. (You're not going to endanger him either, by having sex with him, although he may sometimes regret it—the tail end of a UTI can still have painful ejaculation. But it's not like you're going to damage him!)
I think what he means by the "separate channel" comment (which, yes, not totally accurate or totally germane!) is that where ejaculate is mixed and coming from is not likely to be the same place that is the location of his UTI. Sorta irrelevant, but yes.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 4:05 PM on March 20, 2012
UTIs, as you know, are infections somewhere along the tract, often nowhere near the penis itself, and are usually caused by E. Coli. Like most bacteria, E. Coli is all around (and in!) us. And it's not like someone with a UTI is like a fountain of E. Coli. He's not like, going to necessarily introduce E. Coli into your urethra, unless you're doing sex pretty funky. And it's not a disease where someone's technically "contagious," which I dislike hearing above; that's why it's not classified as a sexually transmitted disease.
Still, all told, I think the jury is a little bit still out on this one, and it seems like that's a great time to use condoms. (You're not going to endanger him either, by having sex with him, although he may sometimes regret it—the tail end of a UTI can still have painful ejaculation. But it's not like you're going to damage him!)
I think what he means by the "separate channel" comment (which, yes, not totally accurate or totally germane!) is that where ejaculate is mixed and coming from is not likely to be the same place that is the location of his UTI. Sorta irrelevant, but yes.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 4:05 PM on March 20, 2012
RJ Reynolds: "contagious", from a medical terminology perspective, means that something is communicable by contact. Bacterial load present in semen passing through the urethra in a man with a UTI would qualify.
posted by ellF at 4:08 PM on March 20, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by ellF at 4:08 PM on March 20, 2012 [4 favorites]
First of all I would encourage him to drink cranberry juice or take cranberry tablets. Even though its a home remedy, cranberry juice, etc. is known to raise the pH in the urine and discourages bacterial growth.
Second, you may have a benign type of vaginal bacteria, such as gardnerella(sp?) that may not bother you, but after a long time in the saddle, may travel up his urethra and keep giving him uti's. That and E.coli, can cause lots of problems when they're not where they usually are. You may want to get yourself checked and also make sure he takes his full course of treatment.
posted by PJMoore at 4:28 PM on March 20, 2012
Second, you may have a benign type of vaginal bacteria, such as gardnerella(sp?) that may not bother you, but after a long time in the saddle, may travel up his urethra and keep giving him uti's. That and E.coli, can cause lots of problems when they're not where they usually are. You may want to get yourself checked and also make sure he takes his full course of treatment.
posted by PJMoore at 4:28 PM on March 20, 2012
For a slightly more official response, try using Planned Parenthood's chat thingie. It purports to offer advice about STDs, and this may qualify.
Also, since he's on antibiotics, this implies that he has a doctor treating him, can you ask this doctor for advice?
posted by sciencegeek at 4:42 PM on March 20, 2012
Also, since he's on antibiotics, this implies that he has a doctor treating him, can you ask this doctor for advice?
posted by sciencegeek at 4:42 PM on March 20, 2012
(whoops missed your last paragraph about going to talk to the MD; my apologies.)
posted by sciencegeek at 4:43 PM on March 20, 2012
posted by sciencegeek at 4:43 PM on March 20, 2012
I can't speak to transmission, but as a male who has frequent UTIs, when in the midst of infection, ejaculation feels like my penis is on fire on the inside and that makes me sad and very much reminds me of the time I was catheterized with a too-large catheter. (which made me cry).
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:57 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:57 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Sexual intercourse may move bacteria into the urinary tract, especially in women. "
"Organisms that may be transmitted sexually and cause UTIs generally remain in the urethra and reproductive system, according to the NIH. They require treatment of both partners."
"In most cases, bacteria begins growing in the urethra...They cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply.... You may be asked to have your urine checked after you finish taking the antibiotics. This is to make sure that the infection is truly gone."
"People who get a doctor's help for a UTI right away should be clear of symptoms within a week. For a more serious kidney infection, most people have to return to the doctor's office for a follow-up visit to ensure that the infection has responded completely to the medication. In either case, a doctor may tell people with UTIs to avoid sexual intercourse for a week or so, which allows the inflammation to disappear completely."
"Research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that one factor behind recurrent UTIs may be the ability of bacteria to attach to cells lining the urinary tract."
"...once a man has a UTI, he is likely to have another because bacteria can hide deep inside prostate tissue."
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 9:44 PM on March 20, 2012
"Organisms that may be transmitted sexually and cause UTIs generally remain in the urethra and reproductive system, according to the NIH. They require treatment of both partners."
"In most cases, bacteria begins growing in the urethra...They cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply.... You may be asked to have your urine checked after you finish taking the antibiotics. This is to make sure that the infection is truly gone."
"People who get a doctor's help for a UTI right away should be clear of symptoms within a week. For a more serious kidney infection, most people have to return to the doctor's office for a follow-up visit to ensure that the infection has responded completely to the medication. In either case, a doctor may tell people with UTIs to avoid sexual intercourse for a week or so, which allows the inflammation to disappear completely."
"Research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that one factor behind recurrent UTIs may be the ability of bacteria to attach to cells lining the urinary tract."
"...once a man has a UTI, he is likely to have another because bacteria can hide deep inside prostate tissue."
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 9:44 PM on March 20, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Within 24 hours, he feels better because the antibiotics are working, but he's likely contagious until the full course of medication has been completed.
posted by ellF at 3:47 PM on March 20, 2012 [2 favorites]