{"id":629586,"date":"2024-09-17T09:30:13","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T13:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=629586"},"modified":"2025-12-19T13:30:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T18:30:49","slug":"can-stress-cause-uti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/can-stress-cause-uti\/","title":{"rendered":"Can stress cause a UTI?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever had a <\/span>urinary tract infection (UTI)<\/span>, you know how fast you can go from feeling perfectly fine to downright miserable. <\/span>UTIs are a common but brutal women\u2019s health issue, causing symptoms such as a sharp burning sensation that tortures you every time you pee, an urgent need to urinate, or constant pelvic pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

A UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urinary system and travel to the kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra. As the bacteria spread and multiply, the urinary tract becomes inflamed and infected, says<\/span> Carly Ross<\/span>, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN at Cooper University HealthCare in New Jersey. <\/span>\u201cThe majority of the time, the bacteria in question is <\/span>E. coli<\/span>, which typically lives harmlessly in the intestinal tract but becomes an irritant if it reaches the urinary tract,\u201d explains Dr. Ross.<\/span><\/p>\n

UTIs are commonly triggered by improper wiping, staying in a wet bathing suit too long, or excess moisture. Still, risk factors such as sexual activity and sexual intercourse, certain types of birth control (diaphragms, cervical caps, and spermicides), not urinating when you need to, and menopause affect their onset. Even stress can play a contributing role in the development of UTIs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can stress cause a UTI?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Stress doesn’t directly cause UTIs, says <\/span>Kecia Gaither<\/span><\/a>, MD, a board-certified\u00a0 OB-GYN maternal-medicine physician and Director of Perinatal Services\/Maternal-Fetal Medicine at <\/span>NYC Health + Hospitals\/Lincoln<\/span><\/a> in the Bronx. However, she says that it can trigger abnormally elevated levels of cortisol, which has a significant impact on immune function.<\/span><\/p>\n

During periods of high stress, the nervous system <\/span>releases<\/span><\/a> cortisol, an adrenal hormone that regulates the body\u2019s fight-or-flight response. While cortisol can be advantageous in the short term by providing you with extra energy, prolonged exposure to elevated cortisol levels from chronic stress can impair the immune response, leaving the body more vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, psychological stress often leads to behaviors that can put you at higher risk of a UTI, like <\/span>drinking coffee, consuming alcohol, and smoking<\/span><\/a>, says <\/span>Faina Gelman-Nisanov<\/span><\/a>, MD, FACOG, a board-certified OB-GYN at North Jersey Gynecology in Oradell, New Jersey<\/span>. Individuals exposed to ongoing stressors may also overlook essential hygiene practices, reduce their fluid intake, or postpone urination, all of which can create an environment conducive to infection.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What causes UTI?<\/b><\/a> | <\/b>UTI Symptoms<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n