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STDs and UTIs share very common symptoms and are misdiagnosed more often than you think.
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 UTI or an STD.
What is a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
The disease and most often, infection, is bacteria contracted through 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, whether it’s oral, anal or vaginal intercourse and genital touching, you can get an STD or sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Whether you’re straight or gay, married or single, you're vulnerable to STDs and its symptoms.
At times, the infections and diseases usually carry no symptoms and that’s why it’s always advised to go for regular check-ups. While STDs can be contracted through anal, oral, vaginal sex, you can pick it up from sex toys too.
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. If left untreated, it could increase the risk of HIV and infertility.
What is a UTI?
Urinary tract infections are usually caused by bacteria that normally live in the colon and rectum. Once bacteria enters the urethra, they multiply and travel up to the bladder. Urine flow from the bladder usually washes bacteria out of the body.A urinary tract infection’s symptoms often include a painful and burning sensation when you pee, frequent trips to the bathroom, and a feeling of urgency. How do you get it?This can happen 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 chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other organisms.
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.
