The short explanation
Greenish or yellow, frothy discharge with a strong smell, itching and pain when passing urine is typical of trichomoniasis, a common sexually transmitted infection caused by a tiny parasite. Other infections, such as bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhoea or chlamydia, can cause similar symptoms, so testing is important. Trichomoniasis is easily treated with medicine prescribed by a doctor. Your sexual partner or partners also need treatment, even if they have no symptoms, to avoid passing the infection back and forth. Avoid sex until both of you have finished treatment and symptoms have gone.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- A doctor can confirm the infection with a swab test.
- Testing for other STIs is usually recommended at the same time.
- If you are pregnant, tell the doctor, as trichomoniasis can affect pregnancy and treatment needs to be chosen carefully.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This answer cannot tell what infection you have. A swab test is needed.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Could this be trichomoniasis or another infection?
- Can you do a swab test?
- Does my partner need treatment?
- Should I be tested for other STIs?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Get help the same day
- Get care the same day if you have fever with lower belly pain.
Book an appointment soon
- See a doctor within a few days for frothy, smelly discharge with itching or burning.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) World Health Organization
- Sexually transmitted infections MedlinePlus (NIH)
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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