UTIs (or urinary tract infections) are very common for individuals with vaginas, though people with penises can also get them. It’s because of the very short tube that connects the bladder to the outside surface (the urethra). The shortness of the urethra makes it easy for bad bacteria to get up into the bladder and replicate. While urinating regularly and after vaginal penetration (such as with penis-to-vagina sex) can help flush out that bacteria, sometimes that bacteria can still cause problems and infect your bladder.

So what does it feel like? Everyone experiences UTIs a little differently, but the common symptoms are pain or burning with peeing, feeling like you have to pee all the time, trying to pee but very little pee comes out, blood in the pee and lower abdominal pain. If you experience any of these it’s a good idea to see a doctor to check for an infection. If UTIs are left untreated, it’s possible for the bacteria to travel up to your kidneys and cause an infection there, too. If this happens you might feel worse abdominal pain and/or have a fever. When in doubt, see your doc!