Vaginal discharge is a common condition experienced by women. However, if the discharge is green and has a lumpy texture and smells bad, you should be careful. This is because this condition can be a symptom of trichomoniasis.
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by parasitic infection Trichomonas vaginalis. This disease can be transmitted through sexual intercourse or sharing sex aids with people with trichomoniasis.
Most women who suffer from trichomoniasis are not aware that they are infected with this disease. However, one of the symptoms caused by this disease is green vaginal discharge.
Symptoms of Trichomoniasis
Symptoms of trichomoniasis will generally appear within 5–28 days after a person is infected with the parasite. In addition to green vaginal discharge, there are several other symptoms of trichomoniasis, including:
- A fishy or pungent odor in the vagina (vaginal odor)
- Vaginal bleeding
- Pain when urinating or having sex
- Vaginal itching
The symptoms of trichomoniasis are almost the same as the symptoms of other sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, to confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will perform a series of physical examinations and laboratory tests.
After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor can give antibiotics to treat trichomoniasis. Some types of antibiotics that are generally given by doctors are:metronidazoleor tinidazole.
While taking the antibiotics your doctor has prescribed, you should avoid drinking alcohol and not having sex for at least a week.
Risk of Complications in Trichomoniasis
Green discharge due to trichomoniasis should be treated immediately by a doctor. Otherwise, trichomoniasis risks increasing the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV.
If people with trichomoniasis are pregnant, this can increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies.
In addition, some diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and bacterial vaginosis,
may occur concurrently with trichomoniasis. If not treated immediately, this condition will lead to complications, such as:
- Blockage of the fallopian tubes due to scar tissue
- Infertility
- Chronic pelvic pain
How to Prevent Trichomoniasis
As with other sexually transmitted diseases, steps to prevent trichomoniasis are to apply safe sex behaviors, namely using condoms and not changing sexual partners.
In addition, there are several other preventive measures that can be taken, namely:
- Get to know each other's sexual partners.
- Use cotton underwear to reduce humidity and prevent bacteria from growing.
- Wash the vagina from front to back after urinating.
- Avoid using special vaginal cleansers because they can remove the good bacteria that protect the vagina.
- Perform regular health checks, especially those related to the reproductive organs.
- Avoid sharing sex toys with other people.
Although curable, a person can be reinfected if you have sex with someone who is still infected with trichomoniasis. Therefore, take some of the precautions above.
However, if you experience green or yellow vaginal discharge accompanied by symptoms such as burning, irritation, itching, or pain in the vagina, immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.