Can BV Feel Like a UTI? What's the Difference?
Both BV and UTIs are bacterial infections that can lead to pain with urination, pain during sex, and discomfort in the genitourinary region. In addition, each condition has characteristic symptoms.
Common UTI symptoms include:
- Lower abdominal pain
- Flank pain
- Urinary frequency
- Urinary urgency
- Blood in the urine
- Cloudy or smelly urine
Common BV symptoms include:
- Changes in vaginal discharge
- Milky or gray vaginal discharge
- Watery or foamy vaginal discharge
- Vaginal discharge with a fishy odor
- Burning or itching in the vagina and vaginal opening
Not all cases of BV cause symptoms. Many women have the bacteria that cause BV present in their vaginas without knowing it. If the bacteria are inadvertently transferred to the urinary tract, they can lead to UTIs.
Women who have recurrent UTIs may benefit from testing for and treating asymptomatic BV.
How To Treat BV and UTI Together or Separately
Some UTIs will resolve without treatment, but you should call your doctor to discuss options if you suspect you have a UTI. Similarly, if you have symptomatic BV, you should talk to your doctor. Both types of infections can get worse without treatment.
Both UTIs and BV respond to antibiotics, but they do not respond to the same ones. For BV, doctors often prescribe metronidazole or clindamycin gel to be inserted into the vagina. For UTIs, doctors typically prescribe an oral antibiotic such as nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, or fosfomycin.
There is some evidence that using boric acid does help manage BV. Boric acid vaginal suppositories can treat BV. Some research shows that using the suppositories for 14-21 days can treat a BV infection. Boric acid does not help with UTI [4].
You should talk to your doctor before using any type of vaginal suppository. It's also important to follow safety instructions since boric acid is toxic if swallowed.
At-Home Testing for BV and UTI
You can use at-home tests to determine whether you have UTI vs BV, or both. These tests can help you determine which type of infection you have, particularly if symptoms are ambiguous. You can tell your doctor the results of home testing and use that information as the basis for treatment decisions.
Vaginox vaginal pH test strips are an accurate BV test kit that you can use in the privacy of your home. The test strips measure the acidity of vaginal discharge to determine the cause of symptoms. Changes in vaginal pH are correlated with conditions such as yeast infection and BV.
To test vaginal pH, you simply use the included sterile swabs to collect a small amount of vaginal discharge and apply it to the vaginal pH test strips. After two minutes, compare the color of the test strip with the color chart for results.
The Diagnox at-home UTI Test works like the tests used in doctor's offices. The dipstick-style test strip measures inflammation and bacterial activity in urine. Dip the strip into a urine sample and wait two minutes for results.
