UTI Vs Chlamydia: Know The Cause Behind Your Troubles

There are times when you experience frequent pain while urinating, pain in the lower abdominal region, and pelvic pain. The most common assumption for someone experiencing such symptoms is that they have developed a UTI or urinary tract infection.

However, that is not always the case when you are experiencing these symptoms. These could be something associated with some kind of sexually transmitted disease like gonorrhea, chlamydia, and others. Thus, it is important that you know the difference. 

Here, we are discussing two things in particular, and that is UTI Vs. Chlamydia. It is important that you know the differences to aid in the therapy. Here, we are going to discuss the differences in their symptoms, causes, and treatment as well. 

What is chlamydia? 

Chlamydia is an STI or a sexually transmitted infection. The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is mainly responsible for causing the infection. This is mainly transmitted through sexual fluids, like vaginal fluids, pre-cum, and semen. Along with that, it can affect the genitals, anus, eyes and throat. 

Chlamydia is mostly asymptomatic, and by that, I mean people can have chlamydia and not know about it. And because this is asymptomatic, it can get transmitted to others unknowingly, and the symptoms are not evident. But this is curable with antibiotics. 

The untreated causes of chlamydia can cause health complications like ectopic pregnancies, reactive arthritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and many others. It can also lead to HIV if the situation turns out to be overly complicated.  

What is UTI? 

Any infection that affects the urinary tract is known as a urinary tract infection or UTI. This is a form of bacterial infection in any part of the urinary system, including the kidney, bladder, urethra, and ureters.  

The lower part of the urinary tract, like the bladder or the urethra, is easily infected. Some of the symptoms of urinary tract infection include discomfort or burning sensation during urination, the urge to pee frequently, and cola-colored or cloudy urine. 

UTIs are easily treatable. However, a simple case of UTI can turn out to be severe and complicated if the infection somehow reaches the kidneys. 

UTI Vs Chlamydia: Symptoms 

UTI and chlamydia have similarities and differences, mainly in their symptoms. The similarities are more prominent than the differences, and more in the case of the symptoms that they cause in the body.  

Chlamydia is mostly asymptomatic. But in some cases, the symptoms are visible. They resemble the symptoms of UTI. They are so similar that you can confuse one for another. For instance, both infections make urination uncomfortable and cause pain in the lower abdomen and the testicles. 

One of the other UTI vs chlamydia differences in symptoms of both infections is that there is no vaginal or penile discharge in the case of urinary tract infections. Infections caused by chlamydia usually cause a yellowish discharge along with a foul smell from the vagina and a watery discharge from the penis. 

Common symptoms of chlamydia 

The most common symptoms of chlamydia are: 

• Pain or discomfort during sex 
• Burning sensation during urination 
• Penile or vaginal discharge 
• Pain in the testicles 
• Irregular bleeding between menstruation 
• Sore throat 
• conjunctivitis 

Common symptoms of UTI 

The most common symptoms of UTI are: 

• The weight consistent urge to urinate 
• Burning sensation or pain while peeing 
• Pelvic pain 
• An unusual foul smell in the urine 
• Cloudy, red, bright pink, or dark-colored urine 

UTI Vs Chlamydia: the causes and the risk factors 

The main cause of chlamydia and UTI infections is bacteria. However, the specific bacteria that are responsible for causing the infections are different. For instance, the bacteria known as Chlamydia Trachomatis is responsible for causing chlamydia. Whereas bacteria that cause UTIs in the gastrointestinal tract, is mostly E. coli. 

Along with that, the mode of transmission is also different. Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease, and when you come in contact with the sexual fluids of an infected person. On the contrary, UTI is not contagious, and even if you come in sexual contact with an infected person, it won’t get transmitted. 

Chlamydia is transmitted from one person to another when you come in contact with an infected person. But it also passes from a mother to a baby at the time of their birth. Women mostly get UTIs when their urethra is short, making it easy for the bacteria to enter the bladder. 

Moreover, the urethra is closer to the vagina and the anus, which are sources of the bacteria causing the infection. Other factors that increase the risk of getting a UTI are not drinking enough water, not passing urine for a long time, pregnancy, diabetes, and if you have a history of UTIs. 

UTI vs Chlamydia: Treatment 

When we are discussing UTI vs Chlamydia, there are more similarities than differences between the treatment of both infections. Both infections can be cured with the help of antibiotics.  

However, the antibiotics used to treat the infections are different. Mostly, doctors recommend doxycycline and azithromycin for treating chlamydia. Before taking any medication, consult a doctor and check what dosage they suggest for your condition. 

Alternative antibiotics 

There are some other alternative treatments for chlamydia, like erythromycin, ofloxacin, and levofloxacin. Moreover, UTIs are treated with antibiotics. Some of the commonly prescribed medicines by doctors are: 

• Cephalexin 
• Nitrofurantoin 
• Monurol 
• Ceftriaxone 
• Bactrim 

But never take any medicine without consulting the doctor and not clarifying the dosage. 

When should you consult a doctor? 

It is important to know when you should consult a doctor. Both UTI and Chlamydia need antibiotics, and for that, you need to consult a doctor. Minor UTIs, most of the time, don’t need a consultation with a doctor as they get better on their own. 

However, it is better to consult a doctor and find out if you need medical attention or not. If you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor and get things cleared. 

But remember that you can get chlamydia and not experience any of the symptoms. The symptoms are only visible when it has progressed. For that, you need to take regular STD checks to ensure that you are free from any STD.

ADDITIONAL READING:

• Iron Infusion: Pregnancy And Its Complications
• PCOS Diet Plan: Know Which Food To Avoid If You Have PCOS
• When Do You Ovulate After Miscarriage: Plan Your Next Baby Accordingly