Symptoms
About 7 out of 10 people with trich have no signs of the infection at all. When the infection is in a penis, it’s very unlikely to cause symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms of trich are so mild that you don’t even notice them, or you think it’s a different infection. The only way to receive a trich diagnosis is through a test. If you do get symptoms of trichomoniasis, they usually show up from 3 days to a month after you get the infection.
Trichomoniasis can cause symptoms in people of any gender. But trich is most likely to cause vaginitis. Symptoms of vaginitis caused by trich include:
- Green, yellow, gray, frothy, and/or bad-smelling vaginal discharge
- Blood in your vaginal discharge
- Itching and irritation in and around your vagina
- Swelling around your genitals
- Pain during sex
Treatment
Most of the time, trichomoniasis is super easy to get rid of. Your nurse or doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection — either metronidazole or tinidazole. You usually only have to take one dose of medicine, meaning you take all the medicine at one time.
If you’re treated for trich, it’s really important for your sexual partners to get treated also. Otherwise, you may pass the infection back and forth or to other people. Sometimes your doctor will give you medicine for both you and your partner.
If you’re getting treated for trich:
If you’re treated for trich, it’s really important for your sexual partners to get treated also. Otherwise, you may pass the infection back and forth or to other people. Sometimes your doctor will give you medicine for both you and your partner.
If you’re getting treated for trich:
- Take all of your medication the way your doctor tells you to.
- Your partner(s) should also get treated so you don’t re-infect each other or anyone else. Your doctor may give you a separate dose of antibiotics to give to your partner. Make sure you both take all of the medication you get.
- Don’t have sex again for about a week after you finish your medicine. It takes that long for the medicine to work to get rid of the trich in your body. When you get the medicine, ask your nurse or doctor when it would be OK to have sex again.
- Don’t share your medicine with anyone.
- It’s possible to get a new trich infection again if you’re exposed in the future. So use condoms and get tested regularly.
Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/std/trichomonas/stdfact-trichomoniasis.htm
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/trichomoniasis
https://www.cdc.gov/std/trichomonas/stdfact-trichomoniasis.htm
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/trichomoniasis