Trichomonas infection is often called “trich.” It's caused by a parasite that is passed during sex. This makes trich a sexually transmitted infection (STI). An STI is sometimes called a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Both men and women can get trich, but it more commonly causes complications in women.
Most people who have trich don't have any symptoms at first. Symptoms in men are not very common. If symptoms do occur, they may take weeks or months to develop. Men may have trich and pass it to women during sex without knowing they were ever infected.
Symptoms in men can include:
- Itching or sore feeling inside your penis
- Fluid or frothy discharge from your penis
- Needing to urinate often
- Burning after urinating
- Burning after ejaculating
Trich is most often treated with antibiotics. Without treatment, trich can increase the risk of more serious health problems, such as HIV and certain other STIs.
Trich passed on to a female partner and not treated can lead to problems, such as:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Preterm delivery. This means giving birth to a baby early if you're pregnant.
Home care
- Take the antibiotics you're prescribed exactly as directed. Finish all of the medicine, even if your symptoms go away.
- Don't drink alcohol until you're done with your treatment. It can cause severe side effects.
- Tell any partners you have sex with that you have trich. They will need to be tested for trich and possibly treated as well.
- Don't have sex until 7 to 10 days after you and all of your sex partners have been treated.
Prevention
You can get trich again after treatment. You don't become immune to it. The only way to completely prevent trich or other STIs is to not have sex. If you choose to have sex, then take these steps to lower your health risks:
- Use latex condoms when having sex.
- Limit the number of partners you have sex with.
- Get tested regularly for STIs. Ask any partner you have sex with to do the same.
- Don't have sex with anyone who has symptoms that may be caused by an STI.
Follow-up care
Follow up with your doctor, or as advised. You will likely be tested to make sure that the infection has gone away.
When to contact your doctor
Contact your doctor if you have any of the following:
- Fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, or as directed by your doctor
- Symptoms that get worse, or don't go away even after treatment is done
- New symptoms, for you or your partner or partners
- Side effects that bother you or a reaction to the medicine
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