Understanding Syphilis -- Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms of Syphilis?
There are three stages of syphilis. Call your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- In the first (primary) stage, which usually starts about three weeks after exposure, a painless sore called a chancre appears on the genitals, rectum, anus, or mouth. Lymph glands near the chancre may be swollen as well. The chancre lasts three to six weeks and will heal on its own. This does not mean that you are cured. Left untreated, the disease may progress to the second stage.
- In the second (secondary) stage, which occurs approximately two weeks to two months after the appearance of the painless sores, a non-itchy red or reddish-brown spotty rash may appear anywhere on the body (often on the palms of the hands and bottoms of the feet). You may have symptoms, such as headache, fever, fatigue, sore throat, muscle aches, swollen lymph glands, patchy hair loss, loss of appetite, weight loss, and pain in bones and joints -- all of which could be symptoms of other diseases as well. Symptoms may then disappear, but without treatment the bacteria remain in the body.
- In the third (late) stage, which can start anytime from one year to several decades later, joints may be affected, resulting in arthritis. The infection also can affect other specific parts of the body as well, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, bones, and liver.
Cardiovascular syphilis develops in approximately 10%-15% of patients, causing heart disease.
Your Guide to Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Sexually transmitted diseases, commonly called STDs, are diseases that are spread by having sex with someone who has an STD. You can get a sexually transmitted disease from sexual activity that involves the mouth, anus, vagina, or penis. According to the American Social Health Organization, one out of four teens in the United States becomes infected with an STD each year and by the age of 25, half of all sexually active young adults will get an STD. STDs are serious illnesses that require treatment...
Read the Your Guide to Sexually Transmitted Diseases article > >
Neurosyphilis can occur in the nerves and may cause paralysis, blindness, dementia, psychiatric problems, or loss of sensation in the legs. It develops in about 8% of untreated patients.
Without treatment, syphilis can be life-threatening. It is extremely important to treat it before it progresses to a later disease stage. Treatment should be taken even if there are no current symptoms.
Call Your Doctor If:
- You see the characteristic chancre sores or rash of syphilis.
- You have been exposed to someone with the disease.
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