Article By: HIV Symptoms
As far as sexually transmitted diseases are concerned, Trichomoniasis is one of the most common and yet lesser known ones. While being not as widely known as more serious sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis, Trichomoniasis is still very common amongst men and women. In fact, Trichomoniasis holds the distinction of being the most widely spread curable sexually transmitted disease in young women. Even though this sexually transmitted disease is more common in women, it afflicts both men and women, provided they are sexually active. The following is some relevant information on the disease.
What is Trichomoniasis?
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by a single cell protozoan parasite known as Trichomonas Vaginalis. It afflicts both men and women alike, with the most commonly infected regions being the vagina in women and the urethra in men. The transmission of the disease can occur through sexual relations between a man and a woman and a woman and a woman but not in the case of a man and a man.
What are the symptoms of Trichomoniasis?
As mentioned above, Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease that afflicts both men and women. Despite the ability to infect both males and females, the disease mainly shows symptoms in women. However, this does not mean that no man with Trichomoniasis will show symptoms because some do. The symptoms that manifest in men with Trichomoniasis include a burning sensation after ejaculation and urination, mild general discharge and temporary irritation in the penis.
In terms of women, the symptoms are stronger and more prominent. The primary discomfort is in the form of frothy and yellow green discharge from the vagina that has a very strong odor. Another symptom seen in women with Trichomoniasis is discomfort during genital related activities like intercourse and urination. Furthermore, there could be irritation and itching in or around the female genitalia. On some rare occasions, Trichomoniasis can also cause pain in the lower abdomen of the women suffering from it.
What are the risks of untreated Trichomoniasis?
The biggest danger of untreated Trichomoniasis is the fact that it would make the patient much more susceptible to other sexually transmitted diseases. This increased susceptibility is specifically noted for HIV because of the danger of AIDS. Another major impact of Trichomoniasis is that it leads to premature birth in pregnant women or babies being born with low weight.
How is Trichomoniasis treated?
Trichomoniasis, like the majority of sexually transmitted diseases, can be cured fairly easily. As a matter of fact, this disease can be cured with prescription drugs like metronidazole and tinidazole. The medicines do not even have to be administered through some complicated procedure and can be simply ingested. It is worth noting that as symptoms in men are very rare, partners should get checked up and treated simultaneously. This is required because a person once treated for Trichomoniasis can easily contract the disease again and the treatment does not create any kind of immunity for future instances.
