The surprising truth about sitting on a cold stone – Only applies to women – 2024-04-30 21:29:51

Stones can feel cold in the spring, even when the temperature is already quite high. Kari Pekonen

Girls and women have been strictly warned against sitting on cold stones. It has been claimed that especially girls and women can relatively certainly get a urinary tract infection from sitting on cold surfaces.

According to current knowledge and research, this folk wisdom is not true.

Senior physician Emil Heinäaho The welfare area of ​​Western Uusimaa says that the importance of cold exposure has been studied in women’s urinary tract infections.

– The view is that exposure to the cold does not increase the number of infections.

Urinary tract infection is a fairly common problem in women, but exposure to cold is not one of its biggest risk factors.

– Clear risk factors are the deterioration of the condition of the mucous membranes caused by menopause, sexual intercourse and urinary catheters, Heinäaho states.

“Irritates the prostate gland”

Cold stones do have their risks.

– Sitting in the cold is not good for men, Heinäaho continues.

– The cold irritates the prostate gland and can cause inflammation of the prostate gland, which is an annoying, although often harmless symptom.

According to Heinäaho, women can sit on a cold platform with relative ease, but men should take something warm under the blanket.

– Of course, sitting in the cold at the May Day party is not good, because it cools you down quickly, adds Heinäaho.

It often gets better on its own

The most common urinary tract infection in women is cystitis. According to the Health Library, bladder infections are the second most common infections in Finland after respiratory infections.

Cystitis is usually caused by bacteria living in the area between the urethra and the anus getting up the urethra and into the bladder.

Women have a shorter urethra than men, which is why infections are more common in women.

Half of bladder infections heal without treatment in about three days. A confirmed infection is usually treated with a three-day course of antibiotics.