Quick Answer: If you don't treat trichomoniasis, it can cause chronic pelvic inflammation, make you more likely to get HIV, make pregnancy more difficult, and hurt your reproductive tract for a long time. It doesn't go away on its own very often, and it usually comes back if partners don't get treated too.
Why This STD Gets Missed (And Why That’s a Problem)
Trichomoniasis doesn’t always scream for attention. In fact, it often whispers. Roughly 70% of infected people, especially women, experience no clear symptoms at all, or confuse them with yeast infections or BV. That makes it one of the easiest STDs to overlook, and one of the most likely to stick around undiagnosed for months or years.
The parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis, lives in the vagina or urethra and can pass through any kind of unprotected sexual contact: vaginal, oral, or sharing toys. It thrives in mucous membranes, and without antibiotics, it keeps replicating. Even if your immune system keeps symptoms mild, the damage builds over time.
Untreated trich isn’t just uncomfortable, it can lead to long-term inflammation, bacterial overgrowth, cervical changes, and a higher risk of catching or transmitting other STDs, including HIV.
This Isn’t Just an Itch, Here’s What Trichomoniasis Feels Like
Every case is different, but many women who finally get diagnosed with trichomoniasis describe a slow-burn set of symptoms that build and fade, never fully going away. The discharge is the most recognizable sign, but even that doesn’t always follow a clear pattern.
Here’s what women commonly report:
| Symptom | Description | Why It’s Often Missed |
|---|---|---|
| Green or yellow discharge | Often frothy, thin, and persistent; may or may not have odor | Misattributed to BV or yeast imbalance |
| Vaginal odor | Can be musty, fishy, or sour; tends to worsen after sex | Confused with poor hygiene or partner hygiene |
| Burning after sex | Internal discomfort, especially post-ejaculation or friction | Often blamed on rough sex or dryness |
| Itching and irritation | External or internal itching that comes and goes | Self-treated with OTC yeast creams |
| Spotting or pain during urination | Mild UTI-like symptoms without bacteria | Often ignored or treated as bladder irritation |
Table 1. Common trichomoniasis symptoms in women and why they’re often dismissed or misdiagnosed.
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Real Story: "I Thought It Was Just BV, Until It Wasn’t"
Aleesha, 29, had been dealing with recurring vaginal discharge for almost a year. “I was constantly treating myself for BV. Metronidazole gel, boric acid, probiotics, you name it. Nothing stuck.” It wasn’t until her partner got symptoms too that she finally got a full STD panel, including a NAAT test for trichomoniasis.
“When I found out I had trich, I was embarrassed. Not because of the STD, but because I’d wasted a year treating the wrong thing. No doctor had ever suggested it might be that.”
Once Aleesha and her partner both got treated with oral metronidazole, her symptoms finally cleared. But she’s now dealing with cervical inflammation that her OB-GYN believes was likely caused by long-term trich exposure.
This isn’t uncommon, especially when trich gets missed in people who’ve been treated multiple times for bacterial vaginosis without relief.
Does It Ever Go Away On Its Own?
Short answer: no, not reliably. While some immune systems can suppress symptoms, the infection persists. In fact, untreated trichomoniasis has been found years later in women who had no idea they were infected. The longer it’s present, the higher the chances of secondary effects like endometrial inflammation or vaginal epithelial breakdown, which increases HIV acquisition risk.
This is why waiting it out, or assuming it will resolve like a yeast infection, isn’t just a gamble. It’s a quiet risk that accumulates. And since trich isn’t always included in routine STD panels, it takes an intentional ask to get tested.
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Your Next Step: Don’t Wait, Don’t Guess
If you’ve been noticing any of the above symptoms, or if your intuition says something’s not quite right, testing is your next step. Even if you’ve treated BV or yeast repeatedly, a discreet at-home STD kit can detect trichomoniasis along with other common infections.
Don’t wait and wonder, get the clarity you deserve. This at-home combo test kit checks for the most common STDs discreetly and quickly.
What Long-Term Damage Can Trichomoniasis Cause?
Trichomoniasis is one of many STDs that get worse the longer you don't treat them. Even if it starts with mild irritation or strange discharge, not treating trich can have serious effects on vaginal health, fertility, and the risk of infection. Trich is a protozoan parasite, not a virus or bacteria. This means that it affects the immune system in a different way, usually in a low-level but long-lasting way.
Here’s what researchers and clinicians have found over time:
| Long-Term Effect | How It Develops | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) | Trich alters vaginal flora, which increases risk of PID indirectly | Can cause chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy |
| Cervical inflammation | Persistent irritation damages epithelial cells and cervical lining | May lead to abnormal Pap smears and increased HPV risk |
| Higher HIV risk | Trich increases vaginal inflammation and microtears | Makes it easier for HIV to enter the bloodstream during sex |
| Reinfection loop | Untreated partners silently reinfect each other | Delays healing and causes chronic symptoms |
Table 2. The most documented long-term risks associated with untreated trichomoniasis in women.
Many of these outcomes develop slowly, making it easy to miss the warning signs. And because trich isn’t part of standard Pap smear or STI panels, it’s often not diagnosed until something goes wrong.
Trichomoniasis and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know
For those who are pregnant, or trying to conceive, untreated trichomoniasis poses additional risks. According to the CDC’s STD Treatment Guidelines, trich can lead to premature rupture of membranes, low birth weight, and preterm delivery.
It can also increase the risk of uterine infection after birth. For this reason, many OBs will test for trich during pregnancy if symptoms arise, but not always by default. That makes proactive testing crucial if anything feels off.
Some medications for trich are considered safe during pregnancy, including oral metronidazole, but they must be taken under a provider’s care to ensure timing and dosage are appropriate.
If you’re pregnant and wondering whether to get tested, remember: peace of mind protects more than just you, it protects your baby, too.
Chronic Trichomoniasis: Yes, It’s a Real Thing
What happens when trich isn’t treated for months, or even years? It doesn’t always progress dramatically. Instead, it simmers. Women with chronic trich often report symptoms that wax and wane over time: random flare-ups of odor, post-sex itching, changes in discharge, or subtle pelvic heaviness they can’t quite explain.
Some develop recurrent bacterial infections due to the destabilized vaginal microbiome. Others find that sex becomes painful, or that they’ve grown anxious about their own scent or fluids. This isn’t just medical, it’s emotional, and it impacts quality of life.
In one study published in 2018, researchers found untreated trich in 11% of women who had sought care for other vaginal symptoms but had not been tested specifically for trich. That’s a huge gap in diagnosis, and a preventable one.
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Why Some Women Keep Getting Reinfected
You took the meds. You cleared the symptoms. So why is it back again? With trichomoniasis, reinfection is common, and most often, the reason is untreated partners.
Trich is usually passed through vaginal or genital contact, and it can live in the penis, urethra, or under the foreskin without causing any symptoms. Many male partners never know they’re carriers. If both people don’t get treated at the same time, the infection just keeps bouncing back.
This is why providers recommend that all recent partners get tested, or presumptively treated, even if they feel fine. One unknowing partner can restart the cycle in a single encounter.
A rapid trichomoniasis test can help you and your partner get clear, fast answers, and break the cycle for good.
Preventing the Silent Damage: Here’s What You Can Do
Trich is manageable, but only if you catch it. The key is not to wait until symptoms scream. If anything feels off, odor, discharge, itching, burning, pain during sex, take it seriously. It might be nothing. But if it’s trich, early treatment can prevent every long-term issue in this article.
Protecting yourself means testing regularly, treating both you and your partner, and normalizing conversations around vaginal health. None of this makes you dirty. It makes you informed, and empowered.
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Testing for Trichomoniasis: At Home or Clinic?
If you’ve never been tested for trichomoniasis, you’re not alone. Most women assume a Pap smear or “routine STD test” checks for everything, but it doesn’t. Trich is often left out unless specifically ordered. That’s why at-home combo kits and full-panel tests can catch what clinic visits sometimes miss.
There are two main ways to test:
| Test Type | How It Works | When It’s Best |
|---|---|---|
| NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) | Lab-based swab or urine test; detects parasite DNA | When accuracy is critical or if symptoms are persistent |
| Rapid antigen test | Detects trich proteins using a vaginal swab; results in minutes | When you need fast results or can’t access a lab |
Table 3. Types of trichomoniasis tests and when to choose each option.
You can get either one through a clinic, but rapid tests are now available for discreet at-home use. For women with symptoms or partner concerns, home testing is often the fastest path to answers, and peace of mind.
“I Tested at Home. It Was Positive, and I’m Glad I Did.”
Janelle, 35, had dealt with discharge issues since switching birth control. “I figured it was hormones. Then I got this musty smell that wouldn’t go away, no matter what probiotics I tried.” After some Googling, she stumbled onto trichomoniasis and decided to test at home.
“It was positive. I cried. But mostly from relief, because finally, I knew. I called my OB, got antibiotics, and had my partner treated too. It was the most empowered I’ve felt about my body in a long time.”
For many, a positive result doesn’t feel like failure. It feels like freedom from confusion. From shame. From the exhausting loop of wondering, “Is this just me?”
What to Do If You Test Positive
First, don’t panic. Trichomoniasis is curable with one of two oral antibiotics: metronidazole or tinidazole. Treatment is usually a single dose or a 7-day regimen. Most symptoms resolve within a week, but you’ll need to abstain from sex during that time, and make sure any partners are treated too.
Some people will need retesting in three months, especially if symptoms return or you’re unsure about partner treatment status. Reinfection is more common than initial infection, especially among couples who don’t test or treat together.
If you test positive at home, follow up with a provider or sexual health clinic to confirm and get a prescription. Many telehealth services now offer quick access to prescriptions for STDs diagnosed through self-testing.
And if you're afraid to tell a partner? You’re not alone. But honesty now saves everyone pain later. The CDC even provides anonymous partner notification resources to help you do it safely.
Privacy, Discretion, and Getting Help on Your Terms
One reason many women delay testing for trichomoniasis is fear of judgment. But today’s testing landscape is different. At-home kits arrive in unmarked packaging, don’t require clinic visits, and allow you to test whenever you’re ready, even in the middle of the night.
Results stay private. You decide who sees them. And you can choose what next step works for you, whether it’s calling a doctor, using telehealth, or simply taking time to process. Empowerment starts with information, not shame.
If you’re ready, explore the discreet test options available here: STD Rapid Test Kits.
FAQs
1. Can trichomoniasis go away without treatment?
Not likely. Trich doesn’t just “clear up” like a mild yeast imbalance, it’s a persistent parasite. You might feel better for a while, but it’s still there, doing low-key damage. Antibiotics are the only way to actually get rid of it.
2. What does trichomoniasis discharge look like?
Think greenish-yellow, sometimes frothy, sometimes thin, usually weird enough to notice. It may smell off, like sour socks or a fish market at closing time. But some people barely notice changes. Trust your instincts if something feels off.
3. Can I have trich and feel totally normal?
Yup. In fact, most people with trich, especially women, don’t have any obvious symptoms. That’s why it spreads so easily and sticks around for months (or years) if no one checks. It’s the definition of “silent but dangerous.”
4. How long can trichomoniasis stay in your body?
Longer than you think. We've seen people test positive after years of confusing symptoms or misdiagnosed BV. If you’ve never specifically tested for trich, you can’t rule it out, even if you’ve been “clean.”
5. What if my partner feels fine, do they still need treatment?
100% yes. Trich doesn’t always cause symptoms in men, but they can still pass it right back to you. If you don’t both treat it, it’s like playing STD ping-pong.
6. Is trich dangerous during pregnancy?
It can be. Untreated trich raises the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. If you're pregnant and unsure, ask to be tested, even if your provider didn’t mention it. It’s a simple test with a big impact on safety.
7. Can trichomoniasis affect fertility?
Indirectly, yes. It increases the risk of inflammation and other infections, which over time can mess with your reproductive system. Think of it as a domino, one that’s better not pushed.
8. Is a home test for trich reliable?
Most at-home trich tests use the same tech clinics do (NAAT or antigen detection). Just follow the instructions carefully, and remember: if it comes back positive, don’t ghost your next step. Get treated. Get free.
9. Can I get trich again after being treated?
Unfortunately, yes, and it happens a lot. Usually it’s because a partner didn’t get treated, or there was a new exposure. If your symptoms return, test again. Better to double-check than sit in the dark.
10. How fast does trichomoniasis treatment work?
Pretty fast. Most people feel better within a few days of taking the antibiotics. Just don’t skip the rules, no sex until treatment’s done for both of you, and zero alcohol if you’re on metronidazole. (Unless projectile vomiting is your thing.)
You Deserve Answers, Not Assumptions
Trichomoniasis is not a moral failing, a “dirty” infection, or something to feel ashamed of. It’s a common, curable STD that often hides in plain sight, masquerading as discharge, odor, or just a bad week of body chemistry.
Listen to your gut if it tells you something is wrong. Trich doesn't care how many partners you've had. But you have power, and it starts with getting tested, getting treated, and speaking out about the silence that keeps too many women suffering in private.
Don’t wait and wonder, get the clarity you deserve. Order a discreet combo test kit today and take the first step toward answers.
How We Sourced This Article: We combined current guidance from leading medical organizations with peer-reviewed research and lived-experience reporting to make this guide practical, compassionate, and accurate.
Sources
1. Trichomonas vaginalis and HIV Infection Acquisition – Journal of Infectious Diseases
2. Trichomoniasis and Adverse Birth Outcomes: A Systematic Review – PMC
3. CDC – Trichomoniasis Treatment Guidelines
4. Update of Trichomoniasis – Schwebke JR, Europe PMC
5. Trichomonas vaginalis and Perinatal Morbidity – Europe PMC
About the Author
Dr. F. David, MD is a board-certified infectious disease specialist focused on STI prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. He blends clinical precision with a no-nonsense, sex-positive approach and is committed to expanding access for readers in both urban and off-grid settings.
Reviewed by: Dr. A. Levin, MPH | Last medically reviewed: September 2025
This article is for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice.
