Not all discharge is gonorrhea. Avoid self-medication! Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. It affects both men and women. However, women are more affected. It only spread sexually and not by kissing or sitting on toilet seat. In pregnant women, it can lead to low birth weight or / and preterm delivery.
You can easily have trichomoniasis if you don’t use condom or you share sex toy with others without covering it with condom.
SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN INCLUDE
- Thick, thin, frothy greenish-yellow vaginal discharge.
- Vagina itching and swelling
- Pain when having sex
- Pain when passing urine
SYMPTOMS IN MEN ARE
- Whitish discharge from the penis
- Pain when urinating
- Pain when ejaculating
- Soreness or swelling around the head of the penis.
DIAGNOSIS
Trichomoniasis can be diagnosed by collecting sample or fluid from vaginal and urine from men; examine the fluid under the microscope.
Other test that can be done are rapid antigen test and nucleic acid amplification.
TREATMENT
Trichomoniasis can be treated with antibiotic. These pills are taken by mouth. It is safe for pregnant women to take this medication. It is not recommended to drink alcohol within 24 hours after taking metronidazole or 72hours after taking tinidazole. If you do, you can have severe nausea and vomiting.
“People who have been treated for trichomoniasis can get it again. About 1 in 5 people get infected again within 3 months after receiving treatment. To avoid getting re-infected, all sex partners should get treated with antibiotics at the same time. Wait to have sex again until everyone has been treated and any symptoms go away (usually about a week). Get checked at 3 months to make sure you have not been infected again, or sooner if your symptoms come back before then.”- CDC.
PREVENTION
Practice of safe sex: Limit your sex partner to one. Be faithful your partner. Do not have sex with partner who practices unwholesome sexual activities.
Use condom if you don’t know sexual history of your partner.
IMAGE SOURCE
Healthgrades
Dr. Adeyemo Olusola is a medical graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria along with certificate in advanced diploma in Principles of Nutrition, Management and Leadership, Dublin and Certificate in Global Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In addition to his numerous certifications, he is a certified Telemedicine Physician from Harvard Medical School, USA. He is an avid reader of books from different oases of life, expert in Medical Statistics and an award winner at both local and international level. “So many a time, I have seen people die avoidable death because of lack of knowledge or information, falling victim of fate. There is then a necessity laid on us to help arm our society to the teeth, as a healthy society cannot be detached from an informed one. Hence, there is need for healthgist.net. We hope you will have a wonderful stay on our website.”
