Whats the difference between a yeast infection and a uti

UTIs most often affect the bladder (this type of infection is more formally known as cystitis) and the urethra (urethritis). These two conditions don’t always cause symptoms, but when they do, they can manifest as a frequent urge to pee (especially torturous because you’re usually producing very little urine with a UTI), cloudy urine, blood in your urine, and pelvic pain or pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic. They might also feature urine that smells like ammonia, Alyssa Dweck, M.D., clinical consultant at Massachusetts General Hospital Vincent Memorial Ob/Gyn Services and coauthor of The Complete A to Z for Your V, tells SELF. Infections of the urethra can cause discharge that tends to be yellowish-green and thick or clear and thin, the Merck Manual says.

When left untreated, a UTI in the lower urinary tract can spread to the kidneys, which can lead to serious health issues and possibly even be life-threatening. The symptoms of a kidney infection can include fever, chills, a burning sensation while you pee, nausea, vomiting, blood in your urine, foul-smelling pee, and pain in your back, side, abdomen, or groin, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“Those are the tell-tale signs of a UTI,” Dr. Dweck says. “The tell-tale signs of a yeast infection are very different.”

Here’s the deal with yeast infections.

Yeast infections happen when a fungus known as Candida builds up too much in your body and wreaks havoc. Candida isn’t actually always a cause for concern, though. In fact, the CDC says it’s normal to find Candida in warm, moist (sorry) body parts like your throat, mouth, gut, and, you guessed it, vagina. Candida can become a problem, however, when it overgrows to the point of causing an infection.

What can contribute to this overgrowth of Candida in the vagina specifically? Well, Candida exists alongside bacteria called Lactobacillus that help to maintain the crucial balance of microorganisms in the vagina, the Mayo Clinic explains. Changes in estrogen (like from pregnancy, birth control, and hormone therapies) can throw off this balance, as can taking medications like antibiotics. Wearing damp clothes next to your vagina for too long can also increase your risk, as it creates a wet, Candida-friendly environment, the Mayo Clinic says. (This is why changing out of your swimsuit, workout leggings, and the like ASAP is always a good idea.)

Then there’s the question of how to tell the symptoms of a yeast infection apart from those of a UTI. We hate to break it to you, but there can be some similarities—namely, a burning sensation, especially when you pee, according to the Mayo Clinic. The other possible symptoms of a yeast infection are pretty different from those of a UTI; they include itchiness, irritation, swelling of the vulva, and the hallmark thick, white discharge that doesn’t have an odor. “If somebody’s got a white cottage-cheese discharge…and the vulva looks swollen and red, that’s probably a yeast infection,” Dr. Minkin says. Yeast infections can also cause watery vaginal discharge, for what it’s worth.

UTIs and yeast infections are both relatively common, FYI.

Both of these issues suck all-around, but we hope shame isn’t part of your discomfort. Every year there are an estimated 1.4 million outpatient visits for yeast infections in the United States, the CDC says, (and given the prevalence of over-the-counter treatments, the exact number of cases is unknown). The Mayo Clinic estimates that 75% of women have had a yeast infection at some point in their lives.

If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a yeast infection, you know what real discomfort is. Both are miserable and maybe a little embarrassing.

What these two conditions have in common is the utter misery you’re in when you have them. 

But they’re more different than alike. Knowing how to tell the difference between a UTI and a yeast infection can save you some trial and error and, ultimately, some discomfort in the process. 

TL;DR: What You Need to Know

The short version is this: while both a UTI and yeast infections can cause pain and discomfort, a UTI is characterized by the strong urge to urinate but difficulty emptying your bladder, and a yeast infection is characterized by a clumpy white vaginal discharge. A UTI requires antibiotics from a physician while a yeast infection can generally be treated with over-the-counter anti-fungal medication. 

Symptoms of a UTI vs. Yeast Infection

The symptoms of these two conditions provide the first clues to tell them apart. While they may have some symptoms in common, there are others that stand out as unique. 

A urinary tract infection is characterized by: pain or burning sensation during urination, feeling the urge to urinate more often but having a hard time emptying your bladder and a bad smell to your urine. 

The urge to urinate will never seem to go away with a UTI, but when you sit on the toilet, you may only experience frustrating painful drips of relief. With serious UTIs, you could also experience a low-grade fever and pain in your lower back.

Vaginal yeast infections are primarily characterized by itching, burning and a white clumpy discharge, similar to cottage cheese. Your vulva and vagina may be swollen, red and sore. And if you attempt to have sex, it’ll likely be painful.

To make it clear, the key differences here are: UTI symptoms are primarily an increasing urge to urinate with no relief, while yeast infections cause an itchiness, burning and clumpy white discharge.

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Causes of a UTI vs. Yeast Infection

UTIs are bacterial, where yeast infections are caused by a fungal overgrowth. But the differences don’t stop there. 

A UTI is caused when bacteria travel from outside of your body into the urinary tract. This can happen in a variety of ways, and understanding how it happens may be able to help you prevent UTIs in the future. 

• Sex increases your risk of UTIs, as bacteria from the rectum can find it’s way to the bladder easily.

• Women who use diaphragms have a greater risk of UTIs

• A compromised immune system can lead to greater incidence of UTIs

• Structural abnormalities in your urinary tract can put you at a greater risk of infections

• Wiping from the back to the front while on the toilet could introduce bacteria into the urinary tract

Yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of candida, a type of yeast or fungus. This fungus is found in your body at all times, but sometimes it can multiply and cause problems. 

Causes and/or things that put you at greater risk of candida are generally things that prevent your body from being able to naturally control candida production. Those include: 

• Taking antibiotics

• Having a compromised immune system

• Diabetes 

• Being on birth control pills

• Being pregnant

• Contracting it from a partner with a yeast infection

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Treatment of a UTI vs. Yeast Infection

Diagnosis and treatment of these two conditions is quite different. Where you need a healthcare professional to diagnose your UTI and provide antibiotics, in most cases you can diagnose your own yeast infection and find treatments at the local drug store.

If you have reason to suspect you have a urinary tract infection, contact your healthcare provider. 

Left untreated, the infection can worsen and spread into your bladder and kidneys. Your doctor will take a urine sample and look for signs of infection. If they confirm you have a UTI, you’ll generally be prescribed a short round of antibiotics. 

The good news: once you begin antibiotics, the horrible symptoms of your UTI will begin fading within just a few doses. 

If your infection is severe, however, the medicine may have to be delivered via IV in a hospital — incentive to seek out the help of your healthcare provider the minute you begin experiencing symptoms.

If you have the telltale signs of a yeast infection — burning and itching with a clumpy white discharge — you can find an anti-fungal yeast infection medicine at the store. 

These medications are typically creams or suppositories that are inserted to your vagina.

If you have any doubts about your diagnosis, however, contact your healthcare provider. Treating yourself for a yeast infection when it turns out you have something more serious is asking for troubles and delaying the right treatment. 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.

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