Why Peeing Right After Sex Isn't Ideal

If you have ever had urinary pain and burning that is related to sexual activity, then you may have heard the old adage: “Go and pee immediately after sex to flush out your urethra and prevent a urinary tract infection.”

I know I have heard this for years and tried it for just as long. Until recently, that is.

I took a class about sexual health and wound up learning about a theory that is antithetical to this notion. Let’s explore why.

Orgasms and the pelvic floor

The buildup which leads to an orgasm causes many positive brain changes but also alters the musculature of the pelvic floor muscles. Try to imagine your pelvic floor muscles like a flower that can open and close depending on your human needs at any given moment.

When you are walking around and living your life, the flower of your pelvic floor is somewhat open. It needs to hold up your organs and maintain continence, although it cannot be so open that your organs and liquid or solids can fall out of you.

During sex and the crescendo towards climax, the flower of your pelvic floor will close up and the muscles will shorten. This is all by design because an orgasm itself is a series of reflexive muscular contractions which can be imagined like a flower bud in a closed position that quivers with delight.¹

What happens to your body after an orgasm?

Ah, that was great, wasn’t it? This sensation of orgasm will then send a message to your parasympathetic system and the body will attempt to return to a calm state.²

But that doesn’t happen right away. It takes several minutes for the flower of the pelvic floor to return to its original position of blooming.

So, we were told to pee right after sex to prevent infection, right? But what will happen if we attempt to pee while the flower is still closed in the bud of orgasm?

Because the parasympathetic nervous system controls the passage of urine and allows us to empty our bladders completely, it makes logical sense to have a relaxed and blooming pelvic floor to do so.³

Trying to force urine out of a system that is in a tight bud stage (as is the case immediately after orgasm), will prevent urine from leaving the body. This, in turn, can cause infection because of the residual urine that is trapped in the bladder and urethra.

Urinating comfortably after sex

Now that we understand the power of the flower, it may be advisable to remain lying down after orgasm to facilitate the parasympathetic system to work its magic and allow the pelvic floor muscles to open in a more natural fashion. After waiting several minutes, we can then sit on the toilet to pee and imagine that flower opening into the toilet bowl.

This can prevent urinary retention, help ease an upset bladder and passively stretch the pelvic floor muscles after the vigorous workout they have just experienced. This technique can be effective for any gender and I now suggest it to all of my patients in the pelvic floor clinic where I work.

Here is the sequence of events once again:

1. The flower begins to close up as the body nears climax
2. The flower bud is taut and in rhythmic contractions during climax
3. The body attempts to return to a calm state and the flower can open slightly as we lie down and relax
4. The flower is almost completely open by the time we sit on the toilet bowl to void urine

Give this a try and write in the comments if you find that it works! Happy blooming to all.