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When it comes to the cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs), experts across the board tend to point to one thing: sex. Not the gender, but the act. While theories abound about how women contract UTIs (everything from having too much sex to wearing tight pants), research seems to point conclusively to sexual relations as the culprit. It's not that sex in and of itself is bad, rather that during intercourse, otherwise benign bacteria living harmlessly in and around the genitalia can be unwittingly transported to the ever-so-inviting breeding ground of the urethra (the short tube that carries urine from your bladder to the outside world). Once there, they take hold of whatever surface they can find in the urethra, bladder or other parts of the urinary tract and multiply, well, not like rabbits, but like thousands of colonies of rabbits.

How does this affect you? Well, if you've ever had a UTI, you know the answer only too well. The first signs of infection are pain or burning while urinating, feeling an urgent need to pee even though you've just relieved yourself or, in some cases, blood in your urine, according to Suzanne Trupin, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist, and clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana. The good news is that some UTIs disappear on their own, and most UTIs respond quickly and effectively to prescribed antibiotics. If you think you may have a UTI, you should consult your physician; serious infections can spread to your kidneys in no time.

That said, here are five things you can do to protect yourself from developing a UTI:

Abstain
Experts say they blame sexual activity and intercourse for the majority of UTIs primarily because the more activity that goes on near the genitalia, the more opportunity there is for E. coli and other bacteria that live in, and on, our bodies to be spread to the urethra. Though doctors don't suggest that you cease and desist your sexual activity entirely, they do warn that women who change partners often may get frequent urinary tract infections. Some women, in fact, are prescribed antibiotic doses after intercourse because they get UTIs every time they have sex, whether frequently or not.

Some evidence suggests that the use of condoms, spermicide-treated condoms or diaphragms may increase the likelihood of contracting a UTI, according to Trupin. Though conclusive research has not been released, the theory is that something about the chemicals may, if they come into contact with the urethra, break down tissue and make it easier for bacteria to attach. By no means should you stop using condoms. They are your best barriers against sexually transmitted diseases, many of which can be far more dangerous, chronic and contagious than UTIs caught in the early stages.

Drink water
Though you've been told that water's a panacea for every malady, never is it more appropriate to use it to flush out your system than when you have a UTI. Frequent urination helps carry the infection downstream and out of your body, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Urinate
Trupin suggests urinating both before and after sexual relations to flush any bacteria that have made it into the urethra out of your system before they have a chance to take root and multiply. Some doctors also recommend that you urinate the moment you sense the need instead of holding it for later.

Be clean
Practicing good personal hygiene may also lessen your risk of UTIs. You should wash the skin around the rectum, the vagina and the area in between every day, as well as before and after intercourse, according to the ACOG. But beware. Trupin says deodorant soaps have been reported to increase UTIs. ACOG also suggest that after you urinate, you wipe from front to back to avoid spreading naturally occurring bacteria from your backside to your urethra.

Drink and eat berry
Cranberry juice used to be and still is a home remedy for UTIs. Experts believe that the acidity in the berry thwarts the onward advances of the bacteria and provides them with a less-than-hospitable environment in which to multiply and live. Recent studies may point to blueberries for their similar properties. Additionally, ACOG suggests that vitamin C in general makes urine more acidic, and thus less likely to foster bacterial growth.

If you already have a UTI, there are certain things you should avoid eating and drinking, in that they're likely to further irritate the bladder. Use common sense and steer clear of spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices, and coffee.

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