All About The STD Trichomoniasis

In an ideal world, people would enjoy sex without fear of getting or passing on an STD (sexually transmitted disease). However, that is unlikely to happen, and sexual partners need to take preventative and protective steps to practice safe sex with each other.

One common misconception about STDs is that some people believe all sexually transmitted diseases present symptoms to those that have them. However, that's seldom the case with many STDs, and Trichomoniasis is one such example.

What Is Trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis, or “trich” (pronounced “trick”) as it's sometimes known, is a very common STD. The disease is caused by an infection containing the protozoan parasite, or “Trichomonas vaginalis,” to give it the official medical name.

One of the challenges of Trichomoniasis is that most people that have it don't realize that because it doesn't present any symptoms to many individuals. Of those that do display symptoms, women are more likely to show trichomoniasis symptoms than men.

In addition, Trichomoniasis is an STD that both men and women can get. Despite being a disease that doesn't typically make its presence known, the good news is Trichomoniasis is an STD that is easy to treat and cure.

How Prevalent Is The STD Trichomoniasis?

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in the United States, Trichomoniasis affects an estimated 3.7 million people. That makes Trichomoniasis one of the most STDs that individuals can get.

What's astonishing about Trichomoniasis is that just 30% of sexually active people develop any disease symptoms. Another fact about Trichomoniasis is women are more likely to get the STD than men; it's also more prevalent in older women than younger generations.

Suppose you have never had any STD testing before. In that case, you may not even realize you've got Trichomoniasis or have been passing it to your sexual partners, given the low percentage of visible symptoms.

How Does Trichomoniasis Get Passed To People?

As you know, Trichomoniasis is a disease that causes infections containing the protozoan parasite. It gets passed from an infected person to an uninfected person via sexual intercourse, so it gets classed as a sexually transmitted disease.

For women, the most commonly infected part of the body is the vagina and other parts of the lower genital tract, such as the vulva, cervix, and urethra. In men, the inside of the penis (the urethra) is the area most infected by Trichomoniasis.

The protozoan parasite typically spreads from the penis to the vagina or vice versa. However, it can also spread from an infected vagina to an uninfected vagina. Trichomoniasis doesn't usually affect other body parts like the mouth, hands, or anus.

What Are The Symptoms Of Trichomoniasis?

The sad truth about Trichomoniasis is 70% of infected people don't even know they have it. But, of course, some people do exhibit symptoms. For women, the symptoms are as follows:

• A vaginal discharge (thin or thick) that can be clear or white, yellow, or green in appearance and often accompanied by an unusual smell;
• Discomfort when urinating;
• An itching or burning sensation in the genitals, often with soreness or redness.

Men also experience discomfort, itching, and burning in their genital region. They will also exhibit a discharge from their penis similar to what infected women experience. It also makes sexual intercourse unpleasant and painful.

What Can Happen If Trichomoniasis Isn't Treated?

As you can appreciate, you must get an STD like Trichomoniasis treated as soon as possible. Trichomoniasis is a treatable and curable STD, so there's no reason to avoid treatment. Doing so means you won't have an STD, and sexual intercourse will be more enjoyable.

However, what can happen if you don't get a trichomoniasis infection treated? Firstly, it can take an extremely long time to leave your body. In a best-case scenario, it might take just a few months to clear up on its own. In the worst cases, that could extend to several years.

You should also keep in mind that failing to treat Trichomoniasis can also result in other implications for your body and health. For example, Trichomoniasis will significantly increase the risk of getting or spreading other STDs, such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

Untreated Trichomoniasis can also cause pregnant women to have their babies preterm and for those babies to have a low birth weight.

How Can You Diagnose A STD like Trichomoniasis?

The trouble with diagnosing Trichomoniasis is you can't do so based on symptoms alone, assuming you have visible signs. Instead, the correct way to diagnose Trichomoniasis is through a laboratory test.

People concerned about whether they might have Trichomoniasis can approach their health care provider. However, it's also possible to get STD testing online. Rapid STD Testing enables you to easily and quickly order a test online or get tested at a local facility.

The advantage of using Rapid STD Testing is you can rest assured that you are paying for a discreet service; some people may not wish to visit their local health care provider for testing due to personal reasons.

How Do You Treat Trichomoniasis?

Whether you STD testing online, local clinic, or health care provider, if you get a positive diagnosis for Trichomoniasis, you can treat it with medication like metronidazole or tinidazole.

The medication comes in pill form and is also safe to take by pregnant women. It's possible to get reinfected with Trichomoniasis, so all sexual partners must have the treatment simultaneously.

How Can You Prevent The Trichomoniasis STD?

Lastly, the only proper way to avoid ever getting infected with Trichomoniasis in the future is by not having vaginal, oral, or anal sex. As you can appreciate, that's not an option for most people, but you can take some preventative steps:

• Have a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with just one sexual partner;
• Ensure you and your sexual partner have a negative STD test;
• Use latex condoms every time you have sex.