You’re more likely to get cystitis at a festival if you have sex

Not washing for days and sleeping in a woefully thin, £10 novelty tent at a festival can leave you smelling like a rotting pigeon and also put you at risk of catching a urinary tract infection.

A leading dermatologist explained you’re “more likely” to get cystitis at a festival if you have sex and don’t wash.

The combination of mud, dirt and bad loos means you could also be at greater risk of picking up e-coli or diarrhoea.

There is no implication any of these girls have cystitis

Expert Dr Alison Cottell, who exposed the link between festival wristbands and boils, told The Tab: “You are more likely to get cystitis after not washing for a few days at a festival.

“The general health advice for women is to urinate directly after engaging in sexual intercourse.

“Of course, in a festival environment, this is much harder to do than in normal life, where the facilities are less than salubrious.”

Symptoms of cystitis

• Pain, burning or stinging when you urinate.
• Needing to urinate often and urgently but only passing small amounts of urine
• Urine that’s dark, cloudy or strong smelling.
• Traces of blood in your urine.

Dr Alison did stress there has been no specific research to prove the link between urinary tract infections and an over-exposure to Florence and The Machine.

But she advised festivals are very risky places for your general health.

Our sexpert recommends bringing multipacks of baby wipes to festivals

Particularly dangerous is the risk of bacteria from fecal origins. Dr Alison added: “Mud and dirt and potentially animal faeces can get on your hands and fingers.

“This could lead to e-coli or diarrhoea when transferred to food.”

Undeterred, we spoke to The Great British Sexpert, Rebecca Dakin about how to have sex at a festival without contracting cystitis or a clawing feeling of regret.

Follow @GBSexpert or check her website here.