Is it an STD or bladder infection?

Does it itch, burn or scratch down under – and you don’t quite know what it is? Infections are common but embarrassing. The good news is that they’re treatable too! It’s important to know what’s what – down there. Here’s a guide.

The difference
A bladder infection means that a type of bacteria has invaded your bladder, causing pain and discomfort. An STD is a sexually transmitted disease that’s passed on during intercourse (most commonly). An STD is also an infection, and could be caused by bacteria, yeast, viruses or parasites.

With a bladder infection, the bacteria travel from the rectum or vagina into the urethra which is responsible for transporting urine into the bladder. This is what causes an infection. Once the bacteria are in the bladder, it attaches to its lining and causes an inflammation. The bacteria can also spread to the kidney, causing a kidney infection. A woman’s short urethra makes her more susceptible to getting an infection, as the bacteria can reach the bladder quickly.

An STD is contracted through sexual intercourse or transference (putting your hands, mouth and genitals on the sore of someone who’s infected). These diseases have a high chance of spreading from one person to the other. The infections and diseases usually carry no symptoms, so it’s a good idea to go for regular check-ups. STDs can be contracted through anal, oral, and vaginal sex, as well as sex toys.

Both can have similar symptoms, but there are some clear differences.

It’s a bladder infection if you have:

Burning or pain while urinating or during sexual intercourse.
Cloudy, bloody or smelly urine.
Trouble delaying urination.
A frequent and strong urge to urinate.
Pain in the pelvis, abdomen and in the vagina. Men are likely to feel pain in their prostate, scrotum or penis.
Nausea and vomitting.
Abdominal pains.

It’s an STDs if you have:

Well, the answer is not so simple. An STD can span everything from chlamydia to genital warts, and all of them have different symptoms. Here are common ones:

Pain and burning during urination.
White, cloudy or water discharge (males and females).
Pain in the lower abdomen during and after sex.
Flesh-coloured or grey bumps and swelling on the genitals.
Itching around the anus and vagina.
Blisters or sores on the mouth, penis or vagina, anus, urinary tract opening or cervix.
Infections in the rectum, genitals and throat. A pregnant woman with gonorrhea may spread the infection to the newborn baby during birth.
Sores on the genitals, rectum or mouth.

Good to know

Straight, gay, married or single; anyone can be at risk of getting an infection.
With infections like herpes, syphilis, and HPV, no penetration needs to happen or fluids exchanged for the infection to be passed. This is because the infections are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
It’s important to get any symptoms of an infection checked out by your doctor as soon as possible. Most of these infections can be successfully treated.
HIV can be transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen or vaginal fluids. This virus can cause AIDS and interferes with the body’s ability to fight infections.

The bottom-line is: if you have any symptoms down there, it’s a good idea not to wait it out, but go to your doctor. There is treatment available, and you wouldn’t want to infect your partner with a nasty bug!

References