Do yeast infections make you pee more

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.

Your outbreak is no match against an Rx option.

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

Your outbreak is no match against an Rx option.

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. 

Vaginitis is an irritation of your vagina or vulva. It’s super common and usually easy to treat. Almost everyone with a vulva gets vaginitis at some point.

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What causes vaginitis?

Vaginitis is when your vulva or vagina becomes inflamed or irritated. This can happen when there’s a change in the normal chemical balance of your vagina, or if you have a reaction to irritating products.

Many things can cause vaginitis — and sometimes there’s more than 1 cause. Things that lead to vaginitis include:

• Common vaginal infections like:

  • vaginal yeast infections

  • bacterial vaginosis

  • trichomoniasis

• Lack of Estrogen (atrophic vaginitis):
  Lack of estrogen can lead to a type of vaginitis called atrophic vaginitis (also known as vaginal atrophy). Atrophic vaginitis is when you have irritation but no abnormal discharge. Things that can cause low estrogen include:

  • Breastfeeding

  • Menopause

  • Damage to your ovaries, or having your ovaries removed

• Vaginal Sex
  Vaginitis isn’t a sexually transmitted infection. But sometimes sexual activity can lead to vaginitis. Your partner’s natural genital chemistry can change the balance of yeast and bacteria in your vagina. In rare cases, you can have an allergic reaction to your partner’s semen. Friction from sex, or certain types of lubricants, condoms, and sex toys may also cause irritation. Read more about vaginitis and sex.

• Allergies and Irritants
  Allergic reactions or sensitivity to different products, materials, or activities can also cause vaginitis. Things that can lead to irritation include:

  • douching

  • vaginal deodorants, washes, and perfumed "feminine hygiene" products

  • scented panty liners, pads, or tampons

  • perfumed bath products

  • scented or colored toilet paper

  • some chemicals in laundry detergents and fabric softeners

  • certain types of lubricants (i.e. flavored or with sugars in them)

  • sex toys made out of certain materials

  • latex and rubber in sex toys and condoms (if you have a latex allergy)

  • spermicide

  • tight pants, or underwear/pantyhose that don’t have a cotton crotch

  • wearing wet bathing suits or damp clothing for long periods of time

  • hot tubs or swimming pools

Everyone’s body is different, so things that lead to irritation in some people don’t cause problems for others. Read more about keeping your vagina healthy.

• Recurrent Vaginitis
  Some people get vaginitis a lot. If you have vaginitis 4 or more times in a year, it’s called recurrent vaginitis. You can get recurrent vaginitis if you have conditions like diabetes or HIV that make your immune system weak. You can also get recurrent vaginitis if you don't finish your vaginitis treatment.

What are vaginitis symptoms?

The signs of vaginitis can vary depending on what’s causing it. But vaginitis symptoms usually include:

• Your vagina and/or vulva is discolored, irritated, swollen, or uncomfortable.

• Itching, burning, and pain in your vulva or vagina.

• Pain or discomfort during sex.

• Feeling like you have to pee more often than usual. Peeing may sting if your vulva is really irritated.

• Vaginal discharge that isn’t normal for you:

  • With yeast infections, discharge is usually thick, white, and odorless. You may also have a white coating in and around your vagina.

  • With bacterial vaginosis, you may have vaginal discharge that’s grayish, foamy, and smells fishy. (But it’s also common for BV to have no symptoms.)

  • With trich, discharge is often frothy, yellow-green, smells bad, and may have spots of blood in it.  

Vaginitis symptoms can be super obvious, or barely noticeable. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all. It's a good idea to pay attention to what your vulva and vaginal discharge normally looks, feels, and smells like, so it’s easier to notice any changes that could be signs of vaginitis or other infections.

Can a yeast infection affect urination?

Does peeing alot help yeast infections?

What infections make you pee a lot?