When you consider how close your reproductive organs are to your bladder and urinary tract, it can be difficult trying to figure out if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
What is a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
STDs are most often caused by a bacterial infection caused via sexual intercourse. It can also be contracted through placing your hands, mouth and genitals on the sore of someone who is infected. These diseases have a high chance of spreading from one person to the other.
How do you get it?
If you have sex (oral, anal or vaginal intercourse) and/or genital touching, you can get an STD. Whether you’re straight or gay, married or single, you’re equally vulnerable to STDs.
At times, the infections and diseases usually carry no symptoms and that’s why regular check-ups are recommended. While STDs can be contracted through anal, oral, vaginal sex, they can also be picked up from sex toys.
Common symptoms of a STD include:
- Bumps, sores, or warts near the mouth, penis, vagina, anus.
- Swelling or redness near the penis or vagina.
- Skin rash.
- Painful urination.
- Weight loss, loose stools, night sweats.
- Aches, pains, fever, and chills.
- Yellowing of the skin (jaundice).
- Discharge from the penis or vagina.
- When to get tested
If you’re sexually active it’s best to get tested every six months or in between new partners. STDs are usually easy to treat, however, if left untreated, they increase the risk of HIV and infertility.
What is a UTI?
Urinary tract infections are usually caused by the same bacteria that normally live in the colon and rectum. Once bacteria enter the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside), they multiply and travel up this tube towards the bladder. There they can continue to multiply, and left untreated, can also travel to the kidneys.
A urinary tract infection’s symptoms include a painful and burning sensation when you pee, frequent trips to the bathroom, and a feeling of urgency.
How do you get it?
Women are at greater risk for UTI infections because the urethra is located close to the anus, allowing an easy spread of bacteria between them, This can happen after poor bathroom hygiene, but also during sexual activity when bacteria from your partner’s genitals, anus, fingers, or sex toys gets pushed into your urethra. UTIs can also be caused by sexually transmitted diseases including chlamydia or gonorrhea.
Common symptoms of UTI include:
- Strong and frequent urge to pee.
- Cloudy, bloody, or strong-smelling urine.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Muscle aches and abdominal pains.
When to get tested
The safest thing to do is to get tested. Even if your doctor already diagnosed your UTI, there’s still room for human error and you may have actually have an STD.
Depending on the severity of infection, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic. A simple UTI can be treated with a three-day course of antibiotics.
The length of antibiotic treatment will depend on the severity of the infection as well as the type of antibiotic prescribed.
Note, never take someone else’s medicine to treat your illness. If you’re given an antibiotic to treat an STD, it’s important that you take all of the prescribed treatment, even if the symptoms go away.
Your doctor may provide additional antibiotics you can give to your partner. In that way you can both be treated at the same time.
References:
- https://www.stdcheck.com/blog/uti-vs-std-difference/
- https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-sti-uti-according-to-experts-9729691
- https://www.nafc.org/urinary-tract-infection
- https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/sexual-health-stds#1
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sexually-transmitted-diseases-stds/symptoms-causes/syc-20351240