It’s known variously as urinary tract infection, UTI, bladder infection, and cystitis (“cyst” is Greek for bladder). It occurs mostly in women, and causes urinary urgency—I have to go NOW—burning pain on urination, and possibly lower abdominal pain, sometimes even fever. It tends to recur, with many women suffering several UTIs a year. And it’s closely related to sex.

Women often develop UTIs shortly after intercourse, and sometimes blame their infections on the men in their lives, possibly with good reason. This, in turn, can drive a wedge between lovers, with women avoiding sex to evade this infection, and men wondering what they’ve done wrong. Fortunately, UTIs can be prevented, usually pretty easily.

In this article:

• Prevention: 11 Things Women Can Do
• Prevention: 4 Things Men Can Do
• Treatment

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