If you’ve never had the pleasure of a UTI… well, lucky you. Those who have will know the anguish; constantly needing to wee, an intense burning pain when you do, body aches and exhaustion. Drawing from her own experiences with chronic UTIs, Edie Medley’s humorous yet intensely frustrating comic It Burns deals with the draining discomfort of having a UTI and the trials and tribulations of trying to have it taken seriously by doctors.
The comic begins with its central character having the dreadful moment of realisation that’s she’s got yet another infection, which is then followed by unhelpful comments from friends, the frustration of trying to get a GP appointment, getting a appointment, being met by a new GP who knows nothing about her medical history, paying an extortionate amount for a prescription, for it all to happen yet again – like one big painful ferris wheel.
UTI’s, or urinary tract infections, are an infection of your bladder, kidneys, the tubes connected to them, or all of the above. Due to people with vaginas having shorter urethras than people with penises, it’s an ailment that predominantly affects them – something Edie sees as a key factor in causing it to be overlooked. Alongside her experience of chronic UTIs, Edie also suffers from an autoimmune disease and endometriosis, and so women’s health is a topic very close to her heart. “It Burns was also driven by conversations with friends; every woman I know has experienced some form of dismissal or mistreatment at the GP,” Edie says.
