The Facts About Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis or Trich is a sexual transmitted disease that not a lot of people know about. It can be contracted and spread by both men and women, however, women are the only ones who will have noticeable symptoms. A woman can have Trich for anywhere from 3 to 21 days before symptoms become noticeable. Although Trich is relatively harmless, it can spread other bacterias around, which can lead to serious illnesses for women.
Although it is highly unlikely that this would actually happen, it is possible to contract Trich through means other than sexual contact. For example, you could get it through hot tubs or pools that have not been properly chlorinated. You could also get it from sharing wet towels or bathing suits. The Trich bacteria can live up to two days on a wet fabric.
The possible side effects of Trich include a foul smelling discharge form the vagina, a thick yellow-green colored discharge, a burning or itching sensations, lower stomach pain, similar to menstrual craps, or a noticeable discomfort while have sex or peeing.
Trich is completely treatable. You can get a gel, which is for vaginal use. However, the gel is not highly recommended because research has shown an increase in recurrence in patients that used the gel. You can also take a prescription called Metronidazole or Flagyl. You can choose a one pill dose, which is very strong, or you can choose smaller doses, which would be taken three times a day for one week.
An important thing to remember when being treated for Trich is to have your sexual partner treated as well. Even after being treated, if you have sex with an untreated male, you will get infected again. Assuming you have one sexual partner, the two of you should be treated at the same time. If you are not in an ongoing relationship with the man, you should still let him know so he can be treated and stop infecting other women.
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