Why does it burn when I pee after sex?

Experiencing pain or burning when you urinate after having sex is also known as dysuria. It’s a common thing that happens in both males and females. Having a burning sensation when you urinate after having sex can be caused by many things ranging from STIs (like chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes), urinary tract infection, improper techniques used during sex. 

Feeling pain when you urinate after having sex can also be caused by the skin around your genitals being irritated.

In this article, you will get to know the causes of dysuria, why it occurs and how to treat it.

What is dysuria?

Dysuria is the feeling of pain, burns or discomfort when urinating. It is more common in women than in men. It may be caused by urinary tract infections, STIs, prostate infection and so on. Dysuria can easily be treated once the cause is identified. 

Why does it burn when I pee after sex?

Feeling burns or pains when you pee after having sex is caused by a lot of factors. One of these many factors may be the reason why it burns when you pee after sex. Read on to find out more about each of them and how they are caused so you can identify the main reason for the burning sensation in your genitals.

Here are some of the possible causes of burning sensation felt when peeing after sex.

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

This is the most common cause of burning sensation when you urinate after having sex. A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection in any part of your urinary system, which includes your kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra.

Symptoms of UTI include

• A burning sensation when you urinate
• A frequent or intense urge to urinate, even though only little urine comes out when you do
• Cloudy, dark, bloody, or strange-smelling urine
• Feeling tired or shaky
• Fever or chills (a sign that the infection may have gotten to your kidneys)
• Pain or pressure in your back or lower abdomen

Types of UTI

An infection can happen in different parts of your urinary tract. Each type has a different name, based on the location of the infection

Cystitis(bladder)

You might feel like you need to urinate a lot, or it might hurt when you urinate. Lower belly pain and cloudy or bloody urine can also be experienced. 

Pyelonephritis(kidneys)

This can cause fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and pain in your upper back or side.

Urethritis(urethra)

This can cause a discharge and burning when you urinate.

Sexually transmitted disease (STD)

If you are experiencing painful urination after having sex, then this may be a sign of an STD. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that are transmitted sexually. They are passed from one person to another through sexual activities such as unprotected vaginal, anal and/or oral sex. Needle sharing and breastfeeding can also transmit some STIs.

Some symptoms of STIs include pain or discomfort during urination, swollen testicles, rashes around the genitals, itchiness in or around the vagina, sores around the vagina, etc.

STIs that are common for causing a burning sensation during urination after having sex include

Chlamydia 

A type of STI that is caused by bacteria. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is the most commonly reported STI among Americans.

Some side effects or symptoms caused by this STI are as follows; discomfort during sex or urination, green or yellow discharge from the penis or vagina, pain in the lower abdomen. 

When not treated, chlamydia can lead to the urethra, prostate gland and testicle infections, infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, urethra infections amongst others.

Herpes 

Herpes is a type of STI caused by the Herpes simplex virus (HSV).

There are two main strains of the virus, HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both can be transmitted sexually. 

HSV-1 primarily causes oral herpes, which is responsible for cold sores. HSV-1 can also be transmitted from one person’s mouth to another person’s genitals during oral sex. When this happens, HSV-1 can cause genital herpes.

HSV-2 is responsible for genital herpes. The most common symptom of herpes is blistery sores. In the case of genital herpes, these sores develop on or around the genitals. In oral herpes, they develop on or around the mouth. Herpes sores generally crust over and heal within a few weeks. The first outbreak is usually the most painful. Outbreaks typically become less painful and frequent over time.

If a pregnant woman has herpes, she can potentially pass it to her fetus in the womb or to her newborn infant during childbirth. This so-called congenital herpes can be very dangerous to newborns. That’s why it’s beneficial for pregnant women to become aware of their HSV status.

There is no known cure for herpes yet.

Gonorrhoea 

Another popular STI, gonorrhoea is a bacteria infection. This STI can cause infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, itching around the genitals, etc. Gonorrhoea can also be passed onto a newborn during childbirth. When that happens, gonorrhoea can cause serious health problems in the baby. That’s why many doctors encourage pregnant women to get tested and treated for potential STIs.

Other STIs can cause a burning sensation when you urinate after having sex. You should get to know the exact STI causing this. You can do this by consulting a doctor and getting yourself tested.

Prostate infection (prostatitis)

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland (a small gland that produces fluid to mix with sperm to make semen). This swelling is usually due to a bacterial infection, but sometimes the cause isn’t clear. It can cause a lot of pain in your penis, testicles, lower abdomen and lower back and when you pee.

Improper sex techniques

Improper sex techniques can also cause a burning sensation when you urinate after having sex. Discuss with your partner first the techniques you both enjoy and this can help prevent pain during and after sex. 

Not enough lubricant used during sex

Sometimes natural lubrication may not be enough to avoid small scratches and tears from friction around the clitoris, vaginal opening, and the sensitive skin around that area. This can lead to discomfort when you urinate after having sex.

Make sure to use enough lubricant during sex to prevent scratches and tears around the genitalia. 

The takeaway from this article

Feeling a burning sensation when you pee after having sex is quite common and it mostly happens in women than men. The cause of this is not specific. Many factors can cause it and so it is best to identify the actual cause to get proper treatment.