Whether you have an infection or not, the bladder can be aggravated by acidic urine, which can cause pain when you pee. To reduce the acidity of your urine, drink half a pint of water as soon as you feel the symptoms, and every 20 minutes for the following three hours. Then start drinking unsweetened cranberry juice every day, or take a cranberry juice extract, which is available in healthfood stores. Drinking a pint of water containing 1 heaped teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate can also help by alkalising the urine. This can have a mild purgative effect.

I' d also recommend boosting your immune system with probiotics, echinacea and/or garlic. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria, for example found in yoghurt. You can also buy probiotic capsules, powder and vaginal creams. These are especially useful if you are prone to thrush. Gentle exercise, and avoiding alcohol, coffee, spicy foods and high acid foods such as meat and cheese can also help. So too can a warm bath or a hot water bottle on your back or tummy, or wrapped in a towel between your legs. You don' t have to stop having sex, although a break for a couple of days may help, but do wash after sex and generally keep yourself clean.