Beyond the Symptoms | An Expert Interview Series by LUF | Live UTI Free Misdiagnosed UTIs, Vulvar Pain & Hormonal Imbalance | Dr. Maria Uloko with Live UTI Free (LUF)
Join host Melissa from Live UTI Free as she speaks with Dr. Maria Uloko, a board-certified urologist and founder of VUVLAi. about how misdiagnosis and knowledge gaps in medicine are impacting people with chronic UTI symptoms and vulvar pain. Dr. Uloko shares groundbreaking insights from her research, including how 88% of patients she saw for chronic UTIs were actually suffering from hormone-related inflammation. Together, they unpack the myths surrounding post-sex UTIs, explore the overlooked role of testosterone in vulvar health, and discuss why education and advocacy are the keys to transforming outcomes.
3 Key Takeaways:
- Your UTI might not be a UTI – Dr. Uloko suggests that most “chronic UTIs” are actually lower urinary tract symptoms caused by hormonal or vulvar inflammation, something many clinicians don’t even evaluate.
- Post-sex UTIs are not inevitable – Pain or UTI-like symptoms after sex are often due to vestibulodynia (inflammation of the vestibule) and pelvic floor dysfunction, not infection. These conditions are treatable.
- Hormones matter more than you’ve been told – Estrogen and testosterone are essential to vulvar and bladder health. Many medications (like oral contraceptives) unintentionally disrupt this balance and may lead to misdiagnosed symptoms.
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