Trichomoniasis is an easily treatable condition. However, what does it mean if it comes back, and what are the reasons why trichomoniasis won’t go away?
What Are the Reasons Why trichomoniasis Won’t Go Away?
Unlike other diseases, trichomoniasis, or trich is a disease that can recur. This means that if you have been infected before, there’s a chance that you might get the disease again.
Here are some of the possible reasons why you can have trichomoniasis that keeps coming back:
Reinfection
One of the reasons why trichomoniasis won’t go away is the body does not build up a resistance to trich. So if you have sex with a person who has it, then there’s a high probability that you’ll be reinfected. This is especially true for people who have multiple sex partners.
It’s also possible for men to be infected with trichomoniasis, but not be aware of it. This is because the symptoms don’t always appear in men. This also means that they’re a carrier for trich, without even knowing it.
This is why whenever you get tested for trich, your partner should also get tested. This makes sure that if the both of you are infected, then both get the proper treatment and prevent reinfection.
Inadequate treatment
On the list of reasons why trichomoniasis won’t go away is: inadequate treatment. This could mean that the standard treatment is not enough, or you might have skipped a dose of medication, etc.
The usual form of treatment for trichomoniasis is using an antibiotic called metronidazole.
The standard prescription is four 500mg tablets of metronidazole. These need to be taken as a single dose, so This treatment is 90% effective, but it’s possible for it to not work. In that case, the other option would be to take 500mg of metronidazole, twice a day, for 7 days.
Another alternative treatment is to use tinidazole. Tinidazole is an antibiotic just like metronidazole, and usually more effective. There are also less side effects to taking tinidazole compared to metronidazole.
Though, compared to metronidazole, tinidazole is more expensive.
Antibiotic resistance
Lastly, one of the reasons why trichomoniasis won’t go away is a resistance to antibiotics. Studies estimate that about 4-10% of cases can develop a resistance to metronidazole, while 1% of cases develop a resistance to tinidazole.
This can be a problem, because these two antibiotics are the primary forms of treatment for trichomoniasis. If the parasite develops a resistance, then treatment will be more difficult.
If your doctor determines that your recurring trichomoniasis is due to antibiotic resistance, other forms of treatment will be explored. This also means that single-dose therapy will not be effective.
The usual treatment would be to take 500mg of metronidazole twice a day. If this still doesn’t work, then doctors recommend 2 grams of metronidazole or tinidazole everyday for 7 days.
If this intensive treatment still does not work, then your doctor will refer you to a specialist.
What Should You Do if it Comes Back?
For those with recurring trichomoniasis, it can be frustrating to identify reasons why trichomoniasis won’t go away.
If you feel that you might have recurring trichomoniasis, then it would be best for you and your partner to both get tested. This helps to make sure that you indeed have trich, because other STDs have symptoms that can be similar.
If the results show that you have trichomoniasis, your doctor can prescribe the best treatment or therapy for your case. Do not self-medicate as this can cause more problems.
Be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations closely, and monitor your symptoms to see if the treatment is working. After treatment, you should get another STD test, to make sure that you’re completely cured.
In order to avoid being infected in the future, be sure to follow these tips:
- Practice safe sex, especially if you have multiple sex partners
- Get tested if you notice any STD symptoms
- Refrain from having sex if you have any STD symptoms
- Follow your doctor’s recommendations on treatment
- Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor about any questions you might have
By following these tips, you can lower your risk of infection.
Learn more about Trichomoniasis here.
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