Information Pertaining To Syphilis
While love making has been dubbed as one of the most sacred acts by many religions, it comes with its own risks when man starts taking it too lightly. In different words, while the consummation of love is considered to be pure, promiscuity in the bed can result in some major health related problems. One of the most common problems that can result from imbalanced sexual activities is known as syphilis. The following are some details.
What is syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease or STD which, as the categorization suggests, occurs due to sexual contact. The transmission of the disease occurs through direct contact with a syphilis sore which can also be described as a lesion. These lesions occur in a variety of places, the foremost of which are the surrounding areas of the genitals of both males and females i.e. vagina, penis, anus and rectum. However, sometimes syphilis sores are also visible in other parts of the body with the lips and mouth considered to be likely locations. Apart from sexual activity, syphilis can also be transferred to a baby from a pregnant mother.
What are its symptoms?
Symptoms of syphilis depend upon the stage at which the disease is. There are primarily three stages, namely the primary stage, the secondary stage and the tertiary stage. The following are symptoms seen in these stages.
The primary stage:
- The primary stage is characterized by the appearance of a single sore, even though there can be more than one. This sore is known as a chancre and occurs at the place the disease was contracted. It is worth noting that the chancre is round, small and does not cause much pain. This stage can last for 10 days to three months.
The secondary stage:
- After the initial chancre has healed or is healing, the second stage begins which typically consists of skin rash and mucous membrane lesions. These can occur in any part of the body and can be numerous as well. Other symptoms of the secondary stage include fever, swelling in the lymph glands, sore throat, hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches and even fatigue.
The tertiary stage:
- The tertiary stage usually occurs around three to 15 years after the contracting of the disease and can take three different forms. The first is known as the late neurosyphilis, cardiovascular syphilis and the gummatous syphilis.
What is the treatment for syphilis like?
The problem with syphilis is not that it cannot be treated. It is, instead, the fact that the majority of people ignore the symptoms of syphilis as something inconsequential and temporary. The treatment of syphilis is extremely simple. This is why a person whose sexual behaviors put him or her at risk of contracting the disease should go through regular blood tests for diagnosis purposes. The treatment of syphilis involves a single or a series of injections of penicillin to kill the infection. Once the infection is killed, however, the disease is at an end. It is also worth noting that a person with syphilis is two to five times more susceptible to an HIV infection.