{"id":19858,"date":"2020-02-03T06:25:34","date_gmt":"2020-02-03T06:25:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=19858"},"modified":"2021-10-15T01:28:54","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T01:28:54","slug":"14-facts-of-trichomoniasis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/14-facts-of-trichomoniasis\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Facts of Trichomoniasis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Trichomoniasis is an infection that is caused by the parasite trichomonas vaginalis. This condition should not be confused with trichinosis, which is a parasite that is found in meat that is not cooked properly. Trichomoniasis is not a great thing to have, but it often does not do much damage, except maybe to your self-esteem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because it is a sexually transmitted disease. However, of all the sexually transmitted diseases that are out there, trichomoniasis is considered one of the most common and the most curable. The National Institute of Health estimates that there are more than 120 million people throughout the world infected with trichomoniasis. This includes 3.7 million in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women ranging from ages 14 to 49 are the most likely to be affected by this disease and are the ones who experience the most symptoms. Here are some facts that you should know about trichomoniasis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. STD Statistics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to having sexual intercourse, one of the most important things that you need to know is that there is a risk involved. Not only is the possibility of getting pregnant an issue, but there are many STDs <\/a>that can be quite harmful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the United States there are more than 20 million new cases of STDs\/STIs reported each year. For this reason, education is really important. One of the scary things about these statistics that of these new cases of STDs each year, half of them are in individuals aged 15 to 24. When it comes to STD infections, the United States is the leader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of all of the STDs that are spread throughout the world and specifically in the United States, trichomoniasis is the most common. It is important to not only understand the risks of having sexual intercourse but to also be familiar with the signs and symptoms of STDs such as trichomoniasis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. What is Trichomoniasis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trichomoniasis is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections among both men and women. Women are more likely to experience symptoms of this parasite than men.  In women, it is often referred to as vaginitis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This occurs when the vagina becomes inflamed. In males, it is often called urethritis <\/a>and causes itching, burning, and pain in the urethra of the penis. Women who have trichomoniasis will often experience itching, pain, and burning in their vagina. In addition, women will often have a discharge that is yellowish-green and will smell bad, like fish. Most often, a person with trichomoniasis will not experience any symptoms, which is why this infection is spread so easily and quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sexually transmitted infection trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite. The parasite is most often spread through oral, vaginal, or anal sex. When one partner has the parasite in their sexual fluids, they can easily pass it on to their partner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. How Trichomoniasis is Spread<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite<\/a>. This parasite is quite small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Trich is spread by having unprotected sex with someone who has the parasite. It is spread when pre-cum, cum, and vaginal fluids get on or in your vulva, vagina, or penis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most often, trich is spread through vaginal intercourse. It may also be spread through vulva to vulva contact, from sharing sex toys, and touching your partner\u2019s or your own genitals if you have infected fluids on your hands. Trich easily infects the penis, urethra, vagina, and vulva, but does not typically infect other body parts such as the anus or mouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Casual contact does not spread the parasite, which means that you do not get it from sharing drinks or food, hugging, holding hands, sneezing, kissing, coughing, or sitting on a toilet seat. It is only spread through sexual contact involving sexual fluids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. No Symptoms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the hardest things about trichomoniasis <\/a>is the fact that the symptoms of the disease will often be very hard to notice. At times, the symptoms will come and go, so most people do not even realize that they have it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice any of the signs of trich, it is important to be tested right away, especially if you are sexually active and have more than one partner as you can spread this quite easily. Approximately 7 out of every 10 people who have trich do not know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it is a male infected, they will likely not experience any symptoms at all. At times, the symptoms of the disease are so minor that you do not notice them or think that it is something else such as a UTI or yeast infection. The only real way to find out for sure if you have trich is to make sure that you get tested for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. When do Symptoms Appear?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The typical symptoms of trichomoniasis as mentioned may not appear at all or be very mild. If you do experience symptoms, they will typically appear anywhere from three days to a month after you are infected with the parasite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the symptoms may not appear at all or may take up to a month to appear, it is easy to see why this disease is so common. There is a good chance that someone who has trich does not realize that they are carrying the parasite. This means that they are likely to have sex with their partner or multiple partners and spread the disease even further. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those people may go on and infect others as well. Using protection during sex is one of the easiest and best ways to prevent the spread of the disease. Only having sex with one person also reduces the risk of getting trich and other sexually transmitted diseases<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Symptoms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you do get symptoms of trich, they will likely appear within the first month of contracting the parasite. Both males and females may experience symptoms <\/a>of trich. Most often, trich symptoms appear in women and come in the form of vaginitis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A woman who has the trich parasite may experience a discharge that smells bad, is frothy, and is a yellow or gray color. There may even be blood in the discharge. Typically, the area in and around the vagina will become red and itchy. Your genitals may start to swell and you may experience pain when you are having sex. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men who have trich may experience swelling in the penis and balls, itching, redness, and overall discomfort in their genital area. If you notice any of these symptoms it is important to go to a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Your doctor will be able to diagnose the problem and begin a proper treatment regimen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Diagnosing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are experiencing pain during sex and notice unusual discharge, it is important to go see your doctor to determine what is the underlying cause of these symptoms. At the exam, your doctor will do a pelvic exam. Women will have vaginal fluid tested and men will have to provide a urine sample. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once your doctor has conducted these examinations and tests the vaginal fluids or urine, they will know whether or not it is trich that is causing you to experience the symptoms. In some cases, it may be a simple UTI or yeast infection that is causing the problems. If it is trich that is causing you to experience your symptoms, your doctor will come up with a proper treatment plan to cure the ailment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to trich, early diagnosis <\/a>and treatment are important in getting rid of the parasite, which is why it is important to go to the doctor as soon as you start experiencing symptoms.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Types of Diagnostic Tests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, in order to be diagnosed with trichomoniasis, your doctor will have to conduct some tests. These tests involve your urine or vaginal discharge. A pelvic <\/a>exam is often completed as well. There are three ways that your doctor will be able to determine whether or not you have trich. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most commonly, saline microscopy is used. This will require the penis, cervix, or vagina to be swabbed and the swab being examined through a microscope. This is the cheapest method, but also tends to lead to false positives because an inadequate sample is obtained. The second test is done by taking a culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is often the best way to ensure an accurate result. The most expensive and least often used is a nucleic acid amplification test. This final method is by far the most accurate, but because of the cost that is associated with the test, it is not used very often. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are diagnosed with trichomoniasis, the good news is that the treatment <\/a>for the disease is really quite simple. Your doctor will likely prescribe a high dose of metronidazole. It is important to note that all sexual partners will need to be treated for trich as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are treated for trich and your partner is not, you are risking becoming infected once again and this is not a cycle that you want to be on. In fact, about one out of every five people who are treated for trich will get it again within just three months. When you are undergoing treatment for trich, it is important to avoid having intercourse until the infection goes away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will take about a week. It is also important to refrain from drinking alcohol while you are on the antibiotic. Alcohol consumption may cause you to experience nausea and vomiting while you are taking the medication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Following the Treatment Plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, trich is very easy to cure. However, if you do not follow the instructions from your health care provider you may not get rid of it or you may end up with it again. If you or your partner are diagnosed with trich, it is important to make sure that you both take the medication that is provided to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure that you take the medication exactly as it was prescribed. You also want to begin taking them as soon as possible. Typically, you will receive 4 metronidazole pills to take that are 500 mg each. You will take all of the pills at once with a full glass of water. Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours after taking the medication or you could get very sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should not take antacids <\/a>an hour before or two hours after taking the pills. If you follow the instructions given to you, the symptoms of trich should clear up in about a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Side Effects of Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some people may have nausea, an upset stomach, diarrhea<\/a>, or vomiting after taking the medication for trichomoniasis. They may also notice that their urine is darker in color. These problems are quite common and will typically go away on their own after a few days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they do not go away or if you develop a fever or get a rash, it is important to make sure that you go speak to your doctor. For most people, these pills that are used for the treatment of trich are very safe. However, if you are pregnant or might be, you should not take this medication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have had a bad reaction to other antibiotics, it is important to make sure that you discuss this with your doctor as well. Anyone that has a serious illness, such as heart disease, kidney disease, or liver disease, should avoid taking this medication as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Not Getting Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have trichomoniasis and you do not seek treatment, the parasite can last for several months or even for years. If you are infected while you are pregnant you run the risk of delivering a baby prematurely. In addition, you may pass the infection onto the baby when it is born. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since trichomoniasis causes inflammation of the genitals<\/a>, leaving it untreated may also increase your risk of developing other diseases as well. People who have trichomoniasis and do not get it treated have a much higher risk of contracting HIV. This is why it is very important to go to the doctor if you are having any symptoms that are associated with trich. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the disease is easily curable, leaving it untreated can lead to a host of other health issues, not to mention the overall discomfort of the symptoms that it may cause. Seek medical treatment at the first signs of any symptoms associated with trich. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Protection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since trichomoniasis is spread through anal, vaginal, and oral sex, the easiest and best way to protect yourself is simply by not having sex. Since this is not a great option for most adults, the next best way is to make sure that you are using a latex condom every time you have intercourse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, even when you use a condom <\/a>you are not fully protected. While condoms are good for preventing most STDs and help reduce the risk of becoming pregnant, they are not 100 percent reliable.\u00a0 Birth control pills and other methods of birth control often used by women will not protect from any type of STD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to preventing the contraction of STDs, abstinence is the only 100 percent sure way to ensure that you do not get an STD. Using precautions such as getting tested and having your partner tested will help lower your risk of contraction as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Testing for Trichomoniasis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is important not to assume that your partner has been tested for trich recently. Trich is not an STD that is often screened for. The only people who are screened for trich are pregnant women. In addition, high-risk patients are also tested for the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are diagnosed with another STD may be tested for trichomoniasis as well. Trich is simply not something that is screened for in most clinics or by most doctor\u2019s offices. Since trich is fairly simple to treat, testing is not regularly done. For this reason, if you think that you have contracted trichomoniasis, it is important to ask your doctor to run a test on you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to STDs and other infections <\/a>that affect the sexual organs, trich is one of the easiest diseases to cure. Catching it early can help to stave off some of the other health issues that may result from the trich parasite being in your body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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