Symptoms Of Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is an STI that not many of us have heard of. It is a little parasite that infects the vagina and the urethra in both penises and vulvas.
50% of people with trichomoniasis will not have any symptoms and when symptoms do appear they are usually confused with other STIs.
Symptoms for Penises:
- Thin, white discharge.
- Pain during ejaculation or peeing.
- Itching, soreness and sometimes swelling of the penis.
- Needing to pee often.
Symptoms for Vulvas:
- Itching, swelling or soreness.
- Lower tummy pain.
- Pain during sex & peeing.
- Itchy thighs.
- Discharge that can be frothy, yellow/green and smell a bit fishy.
Causes of Trichomoniasis
You CANNOT catch Trichomoniasis from kissing, hugging, sharing towels, swimming pools, toilet seats etc.
It CAN, however, be spread through:
- Unprotected sex (vaginal, oral & anal).
- Sharing your toys without washing between uses.
Treatments For Trichomoniasis
It’s harder than most STIs to diagnose as the symptoms overlap. If a nurse examines you, they will be looking for red patches on the walls of the vagina and in men, discharge, swelling and soreness from the head of the penis.
To test for this, the doctor will swab your vagina or penis and send it off for tests.
Treatment is a simple week course of antibiotics.
You should avoid sex until you’ve been given the go-ahead.
You must inform your previous partner so they can get a test.
Some clinics offer an anonymous text service in case you don’t feel comfortable telling them. Remember to not play the blame game.
⚡ I am not a health professional. I am qualified in RSE but I am not a doctor. Content for this page has been drawn from the NHS website and Brook.org.uk. Please head over to these great sites for more details.
