Trichomoniasis symptoms are similar to those of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They usually start with a greenish yellow, frothy, fishy-smelling discharge from the vagina. They may also cause vaginal itching or irritation, painful intercourse, and frequent or painful urination.
A trich infection is caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis, which lives in and around the genitals, bladder, and urethra in women and in the prostate gland in men. It is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world and is very treatable with antibiotics.
Infection in the urethra can lead to a serious condition called urologic trichomoniasis, which can lead to urethritis or a blockage of the urinary tract. This can cause blood in the urine and damage the kidneys and other organs. It is also very dangerous for babies who get trichomoniasis during their mother’s pregnancy, as it can increase the risk of premature delivery and low birth weight.
Treatment for trichomoniasis includes taking an antibiotic for at least 7 days, and not having any sexual contact until the medication has been taken. Your sexual partners should be tested and treated too, even if they have no symptoms.
Symptoms in women tend to get better after antibiotic treatment, but they can come and go. Often, the infection is gone within a week after treatment and re-infection is very rare. However, it is possible for you to become reinfected if you don’t take the medicine as prescribed and avoid sex until the infection clears up.
Tests to diagnose trich include looking at a sample of pee or fluid from your genitals under a microscope, or using sensitive tests that can spot the parasite’s DNA. Then your doctor can tell if the parasite is present or not. If your doctor believes you have trich, they will prescribe an antibiotic such as metronidazole or tinidazole.
The incubation period for trich is 5 to 28 days after being exposed, but some people do not develop symptoms until much later. Symptoms can come and go, so it is important to use condoms correctly during sexual intercourse and use them regularly.
Your doctor can also do a urine or blood test to detect trichomoniasis. This will give them more information about your body’s immune response to the parasite, which can help them choose the best course of treatment.
When you are diagnosed with trich, your doctor will give you a prescription for metronidazole or tinidazole, which is the most effective form of antibiotic treatment. These drugs will cure most cases of trich and reduce the risk of re-infection. If you are a man, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic for 5 to 7 days, and you must not have sex until the medicine has been taken.
A single dose of antibiotics can cure most cases of trich, but the re-acquisition rate is high if your sexual partners are not treated. So, it’s important to make sure all your sexual partners are tested and treated, and that you wait until the antibiotic has been taken before having sex again.
