Trichomoniasis: The “Hidden” STI Many Women Don’t Know They Have

When people talk about Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), the usual stars of the conversation are HIV, gonorrhea, herpes, and chlamydia. But there’s one that is almost always left out of the conversation – trichomoniasis. Most people can barely pronounce the name, let alone know what it actually is, which is a problem considering that it is one of the most commonly transmitted STIs — and one that many women don’t know they have.

Let’s really talk about trichomoniasis, symptoms, treatment, and how to make sure you don’t get it.

What Is Trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is an STI caused by a tiny parasite known as Trichomonas vaginalis. You can’t see it with your naked eye, so don’t think you’d see or feel it “moving” if you get infected. It is a very sneaky parasite.

It mostly lives in the vagina and the lower urinary tract (urethra) in women, and in men, it stays in the prostate and also the urethra.

It spreads through unprotected sex or even sharing sex toys that were not properly cleaned. No, you don’t get it from toilet seats or from hugging someone who has it. The infection passes from one partner to another through genital contact, so even if you’ve had only one partner or are in a “very serious and committed” relationship, you can still get it if your partner was exposed in the past and never got treated.

Symptoms of Trichomoniasis

This is the sneaky part. About 70% of infected people have no symptoms at all and pass it on without knowing. When the symptoms decide to show, most people mistake it for other vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections.

For women, the symptoms might include:

A thin, foamy, yellow-green, or gray vaginal discharge.
A strong or fishy odour.
Itching, burning, or redness around the vagina.
Pain during sex or when urinating.

For men, the symptoms might include:

Thin or whitish discharge from the penis.
Burning after peeing or ejaculation.
Itching or irritation inside the penis.

Complications of Trichomoniasis

Even when it doesn’t cause symptoms, it still causes harm in the background like a silent troublemaker. So, if you leave it untreated, it can:

Increase your risk of getting other STIs like HIV.
Lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which can have negative effects on your fertility.
Cause pregnancy complications like preterm birth or low birth weight babies.

Treatment of Trichomoniasis

The good news is that trichomoniasis is one of the curable STIs and is very easy to treat.

Before you start treatment, your doctor will perform a pelvic exam with your consent. In some women, they might have what looks like a strawberry cervix, i.e, tiny red spots on the cervix. In women, a sample of the vaginal discharge will be taken, while in men, a urethral swab will be taken and sent for testing.

Once you get diagnosed, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics, either Metronidazole or Tinidazole. Here are some tips to be sure the treatment works:

Take the full dose as prescribed, even if you start feeling fine halfway through. Stopping halfway gives the parasite a chance to come back in full force.
Both partners must get treated. If only one person gets treated and you go ahead and have sex with that infected, untreated partner, then you end up getting reinfected.
Avoid sex for at least 7 days after both you and your partner have completed treatment. Your body needs time to heal and clear the infection.

How to Prevent Trichomoniasis

Whether you’ve had it in the past and got treated or whether you haven’t had it at all, here are some useful tips on how to stay trich-free:

Use protection every single time.
Get tested regularly if you’re sexually active, especially with new partners.
Don’t share sex toys.
Avoid harmful vaginal practices like douching. They mess with your vaginal pH and make it easier for you to get all sorts of infections.

Final Thoughts

Trichomoniasis may be one of the silent STIs out there, but it is not a death sentence if you have it. It is easily treatable. The key is to make sure you get tested, treated, and make sure your partner does too.