Post Date November, 17 2024
Sexually transmitted diseases, we always have a partial understanding and never want to acquire them. However, we should have a basic knowledge of the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases in order to detect and treat them as soon as they are present. This article continues the previous syphilis encyclopedia and provides a more in-depth introduction on how the symptoms, incubation periods, and treatment methods of various stages of syphilis are presented. Cats, men, and women should pay more attention to the importance of safe sexual behavior during the process of enjoying sex, in order to always enjoy the pleasure of sex happily!
The author of this article is Lin Jiaqian, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner
There are four stages of syphilis: the first, second, latent, and third stages. Additionally, there are congenital syphilis, which is transmitted directly from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy or childbirth.
Phase 1 Syphilis: Hard chancre
Initial syphilis is usually obtained through direct sexual contact with an infected person, and skin damage occurs approximately 3 to 90 days (an average of 21 days) after contact, known as primary chancre, which can occur at the location of contact (so if not only the sexual organs are in contact, there is a chance for the hands, mouth, and rectum). If not treated, it will last for about 3-6 weeks.
A typical chancre (40% chance) is a single, hard, painless, non itchy, ulcerative, clear edge, and flat bottom, with a size of approximately 0.3 to 3.0 centimeters. However, its subsequent lesions may appear in other forms. Even if chancre disappears, it does not mean cure. (Recommended reading: Is it always itchy during menstruation? Maintenance and cleaning of private areas during menstruation Quick Q&A)
Phase 2 Syphilis: Skin rash and flat warts like plum blossom blooming all over the body
Syphilis can transition to the second stage of syphilis approximately 4 to 10 weeks after the onset of the initial syphilis, but it is also possible to have not experienced the initial syphilis symptoms and directly develop the second stage of syphilis symptoms.
The second stage of syphilis presents many different symptoms, most of which occur in the skin, mucosa, and lymph nodes. There may be a symmetrical rash between the limbs and fingers, between red and pink, that does not cause itching. Erythema may turn into maculopapules or abscesses, and gradually transform into flat, white colored, warty lesions that are more common in the mucosa, known as flat condyloma.
All of the above lesions are full of bacteria and infectious. (Recommended reading: Use acupoint massage to get rid of recurrent gynecological infections)
Other symptoms include fever, sore throat, fatigue, weight loss, hair loss, and headache. Less common symptoms include hepatitis, kidney disease, arthritis, periostitis, optic neuritis, uveitis, and interstitial keratitis. Because there are many symptoms, syphilis is called the 'great imitator', which is easy to be diagnosed with other diseases and is hidden from syphilis infection.
incubation period
The incubation period of syphilis is defined as the period when there is serological evidence of infection but no symptoms are present.
Some patients have not experienced the initial and second stages of syphilis and enter the incubation period directly, so they do not know that they have been infected. But pathogens can still cause damage to the body.
Phase III Syphilis: Syphilioma/Neurovascular Disease
The third stage of syphilis occurs 3 to 15 years after the initial infection and is divided into three different forms: gummatous syphilis (15%), advanced neurological syphilis (6.5%), and syphilitic cardiovascular disease (10%). Untreated syphilis patients have a one-third chance of entering the third stage of syphilis symptoms.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment: Different manifestations of syphilis at different stages
If it belongs to the early and second stages of syphilis, it is often a manifestation of dampness and heat in the liver meridian, and the accumulation of phlegm and blood stasis. It is recommended to clear the liver and detoxify, remove blood stasis and detoxify, and use modified Longdan Xiegan Tang, Erchen Tang combined with Xiaowan Wan, etc. During the incubation period or prolonged illness stage, there are often symptoms of spleen deficiency and dampness accumulation, deficiency of both qi and blood, and deficiency of both qi and yin. The treatment should be based on strengthening the spleen to dissipate dampness, supplementing qi and nourishing yin, and strengthening the foundation. For patients with recurrent symptoms after Western medicine treatment or poor antibiotic treatment effect, appropriate formulas should be used together with traditional Chinese medicine for treatment.
The most important thing is to avoid dangerous sexual behavior, fix a single partner or wear a condom every time. If any abnormalities are found during pre marital screening, both spouses should receive treatment together and be regularly tracked. (Recommended reading: When a girl says, "Don't wear a condom today, okay
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