UK Women Turn to Social Media on Chronic UTIs Affecting Up to 1.7 Million
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Oct 21
UK Women Turn to Social Media on Chronic UTIs Affecting Up to 1.7 Million
1 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Oct 21
Summary
Adrianne, 29, says TikTok helped her discuss a chronic UTI that took two years to diagnose and upended her work, relationships and daily life.
Up to 1.7 million women in the UK could be affected, while specialists say chronic UTIs are often missed because urine tests can return false negatives and symptoms overlap with endometriosis, pelvic pain and bladder disorders.
Hundreds of posts on TikTok and Instagram now share symptoms, coping tips and reassurance, as women push back against stigma that links UTIs to poor hygiene or sexual behavior.
Doctors say that visibility can help patients reach the right specialists sooner, but they also warn social media is spreading harmful misinformation, including unsafe "hacks" such as disinfectant baths.