Is It a UTI or Yeast Infection? Learn How to Tell the Difference

Two common infections—a yeast infection and urinary tract infection (UTI)—often confuse people when it comes to symptoms and causes. But telling them apart can actually be easy once you have the right information.

To start, a yeast infection is a fungal infection and a UTI is a bacterial infection. So, while a course of antibiotics will likely be needed to get rid of a UTI, treating a yeast infection in most cases does not require a trip to the doctor.

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Knowing this, it’s now important to understand the differences in causes and symptoms. You don’t want to wait to treat either of these infections, so let’s give you the information you need to make smart health decisions for yourself.

Causes of a UTI vs Yeast Infection

Urinary tract infections

UTIs are caused by bacteria entering or building up in the urinary tract. This infection can happen anywhere in the urinary tract, including in the urethra (tube through which urine travels out of the body), the bladder, ureter (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), or the kidneys.

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UTIs are more likely to occur in women or people with female organs since the urethra is shorter than in people with male organs. Because the bacteria doesn’t have far to travel, it can pass more easily to other parts of the urinary tract.

Actions that can increase your risk for UTIs include:

• Wiping from back to front when using the toilet
• Using diaphragms, spermicides, or having unprotected sex
• Not urinating before and after having sex
• Holding in your pee for long periods or not fully emptying your bladder when you pee
• Having a catheter in for an extended time

Those at a higher risk for UTIs include people who:

• Are pregnant or overweight
• Are post-menopausal or of older age
• Have kidney or bladder stones
• Have diabetes or other chronic conditions that weaken the immune system

Due to changes in our bodies as we age, including the weakening of muscles that send waste through and out of the body, UTIs are the most common infection in adults over age 65. They are especially common for seniors living in nursing homes.

Yeast infections

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Your vagina normally has a yeast called Candida within it that stays in balance when you have a healthy immune system and no other triggers that would cause an overgrowth of that yeast.

While you can get a yeast infection from having sex, that’s more common with UTIs. Because yeast infections occur due to a buildup of the Candida fungus, the causes relate to trapped moisture, medication side-effects, and changes to the body due to the effects of fluctuating hormones or blood sugar.

Causes of yeast infections include:

• Wearing tight underwear or pants or non-breathable fabrics
• Not changing out of pants or underwear that are wet or sweaty
• Having high blood sugar or blood sugar levels that are not controlled
• Hormonal changes, such as during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause
• Taking certain medications such as steroids, birth control pills, or even antibiotics
• Weakening of the immune system due to illness, cancer treatments, stress or pregnancy

(Learn more about Common Triggers and Causes of Yeast Infections and How to Avoid Them.)

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