Trichomoniasis: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Trichomonas vaginalis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is sometimes referred to as trichomonas or trichomoniasis, or shortened to TV. The term trichomonas is used here. 

If you are suffering from trichomonas vaginalis, it is important for you to know about protecting yourself against this condition. Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by an organism known as trichomonas vaginalis. This disease is more common in women than in men. Men too can get infected and pass on the infection to their sexual partners.

Signs & Symptoms-

Up to half of infected men and women will not have any signs or symptoms at all. Signs and symptoms usually show up within a month of coming into contact with trichomonas. You might notice:

Women

1. Soreness, inflammation and itching in and around the vagina. This can cause discomfort when having sex.
2. A change in vaginal discharge – there may be a small amount or a lot, and it may be thick or thin, or frothy and yellow. You may also notice a strong smell that may be unpleasant.
3. Pain when passing urine.

Men

1. A discharge from the penis, which may be thin and whitish.
2. Pain, or a burning sensation, when passing urine.
3. Inflammation of the foreskin (this is uncommon).

Diagnosis
A physical examination and certain laboratory tests are carried out for the diagnosis of trichomonas’s. Tests are carried out on a sample of the vaginal fluid to find out disease-causing parasites. It is harder to detect the parasite in men, than in women.

Treatment
Commonly, a certain oral antibiotic is prescribed for treating trichomonas’s. It is the only medicine used for this purpose, but should be avoided by pregnant women. If you are infected, your partner should also be treated at the same time for the prevention of reinfection and further spreading. If you are undergoing treatment for trichomonas’s, it is advised that you avoid having sex until the treatment gets over and all symptoms get eliminated. You should take your medicine even if you improve and after the symptoms are gone. A retest should be carried out after three months to know about the infection’s status.

Prevention
You can prevent or protect yourself from trichomonas’s vaginalis by taking the following steps:

• Have protected sex by using condoms every time.
• Sexual abstinence or limiting your sexual contact to one partner is recommended.
• Avoid sexual contact if you think you are affected.

You should consult a doctor on experiencing any genital symptoms such as burning urination, discharge, and the development of sores or rashes. Also, you must stop having sex with anyone after experiencing these symptoms. 

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Trichomoniasis is an infection that is caused by a parasite and is transmitted sexually. This disorder is characterized by symptoms of itching in the genitalia, smelly discharge from the vagina and pain while urinating. This disorder may also result in premature birth in case of pregnant women.

The symptoms of this disorder are:

1. Redness around the genitals, which may cause intense itching

2. You may experience pain during sexual intercourse and urination

3. A smelly colored vaginal discharge

4. You may experience discharge from the penis

5. A burning sensation during ejaculation and urination

6. A constant feeling of irritation in the penis

Causes behind it

The disorder is caused by a parasite known as Trichomonas vaginalis. Certain factors increase your chances of contracting this disorder; them being:

1. Engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse

2. If you have had an episode of Trichomoniasis

3. If you have been affected by STI/STDs before

4. Having multiple sex partners can certainly augment its chances

Prevention

There are certain preventive measures that you can adopt to prevent this infection.

1. Avoid engaging in sexual activities once the condition is diagnosed.

2. If you are, it is always advised to use latex condoms during intercourse to decrease your chances of contracting this disease.

3. Avoid engaging in sexual intercourse with multiple sex partners. If this disorder is not treated, then it may increase your chances of getting affected by HIV as well.

4. It also tends to cause an early rupture of the membranes in pregnant women; resulting in premature delivery. 

   If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

Vaginal discharge is a normal physiological phenomenon, in which the consistency of vaginal discharge varies throughout the cycle. Healthy vaginal discharge is clear or white in colour, with normal and non-offensive odour. Sometimes right before menstruation, your vaginal discharge may hold a brownish tinge.

The consistency of the discharge varies mostly on the hormonal changes in the body. When the levels of oestrogen are low, the cervical mucus that is liberated as discharge may be perceived as sticky and thick. When the oestrogen levels rise up, the discharge becomes wetter, more stretchy and clearer. Also, after ovulation, the consistency becomes thicker again.

When should you worry about the vaginal discharge?

1. Greenish, greyish or absurdly brownish in colour

2. When the discharge appears thicker than normal

3. When the discharge is more than normal

4. When it smells absurd like fishy or rotten meat like smell

5. Pus like discharge

6. White with cottage cheese like discharge

7. When the discharge is associated with bloody discharge and burning sensation, rash or soreness.

Diseases caused by vaginal discharge

1. Yeast Infection: The vaginal discharge is cottage cheese like and may be associated with itching of the vulva. This is also called as thrush. It can be treated easily with antifungal medications such as Fluconazole or Cotrimoxazole.

2. Vaginitis: Yellowish offensive discharge, which may be profuse, associated with itching and abdominal pain.

3. Trichomoniasis: This disease is asymptomatic in most cases and you may notice purulent discharge. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

Trichomoniasis is one of the most commonly occurring sexually transmitted infections. It generally happens on account of having multiple sexual partners or not using condoms and other protective measures during sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal).

Trichomoniasis leads to a foul smelling vaginal discharge and other symptoms that include spotting/bleeding, painful urination, itching in the vaginal region, all of them resulting in painful sexual intercourse. The single- celled protozoa (pathogen) causing this infection is Trichomonas vaginalis.

Symptoms-

The most common symptoms among women are:

1. vaginal discharge, which can be white, gray, yellow, or green, and usually frothy with an unpleasant smell
2. vaginal spotting or bleeding
3. genital burning or itching
4. genital redness or swelling
5. frequent urge to urinate
6. pain during urination or sexual intercourse

The most common symptoms in men are:

1. discharge from the urethra
2. burning during urination or after ejaculation
3. an urge to urinate frequently

Treatment Options for Trichomoniasis-

The treatment options for Trichomoniasis can be categorized as follows:

1. Antibiotics such as ‘Tinidazole’ or metronidazole can be administered.

2. It is advisable not to consume alcohol within the first 24 hours of being administered ‘metronidazole’ and the first 72 hours of being administered tinidazole as it can lead to severe vomiting and nausea.

3. Metronidazole is strictly advised against during pregnancy as it can harm the baby.

How to Prevent Trichomoniasis?

The preventive measures include:

1. Indulging in safe sex is the best way to prevent Trichomoniasis.

2. Condoms should be used by both the male and the female partners during a sexual intercourse (anal or vaginal).

3. Sharing sex toys is another big ‘NO’ as the carriers of various STDs may spread through their common usage.

4. If a person has already been infected by Trichomoniasis then abstaining from sex is the safest option to prevent it from spreading.

As we work around the clock and rush to meet targets and achieve goals, we may be forgetting an important aspect of life. The health, hygiene and well-being of ourselves are completely lost when we are busy taking care of other things. This is the reason why we fall prey to health issues and disorders.

The health issues may vary from deeply embedded internal viruses to superficial bacterial infections. One such superficial infection is Trichomycosis Axillaris. This is an infection that affects the hair shafts in regions that are highly prone to sweating, such as the underarm areas. The hair in the underarms may at times appear like they have matter stuck to them, in such cases; the bacterial infection may seem to be present.

The infection that affects the shafts of hair is known to be completely painless. The infection, in fact, appears only when the hair in moist areas grow long and get coated by dirt like particles that may appear yellow, red or white. The infection causes smelly areas and may be a hindrance in regular life because of the smell that it may cause in regular situations.

Treatment of the infection:
There are a number of ways in which the infection of Trichomycosis Axillaris can be treated or kept at bay. Most importantly, when you start to experience a change in the appearance of hair in moist regions, you should check with a dermatologist to know about the actual root or cause of the problem. When it is established that the infection is indeed Trichomycosis Axillaris, the doctor may suggest the following precautions and medications:

1. You may be asked to take medicines for the bacterial infection in the form of antibiotics that are topically applied to the infected area.
2. The use of medicated soaps that help in keeping the skin free of bacteria may also be recommended by the dermatologists.
3. You may also be asked to apply powders that keep the area dry to avoid the formation of sweat or moisture which makes for an easy breeding ground for bacteria.
4. One of the most effective methods may be to shave the hair off so that the bacteria may be removed, but it should also be accompanied by a medical treatment so that the infection does not recur.
5. The use of deodorants that help in keeping moisture out may also help in keeping a check on the infection.

Choosing the specialist:
Though the Trichomycosis Axillaris infection may not be very threatening in nature, it is important to keep the body healthy in all manners, which is why you should seek for a doctor that specialises in skin care and may be able to help in eliminating the infection altogether. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!