Sexually transmitted diseases can be a problem for any person. Do not assume that they are subject only to irresponsible individuals. Syphilis is a disease that at the beginning of the 20th century was considered incurable; Today, medicine has stepped far forward, but has not saved humanity from this disease.
Syphilis - what is this disease?
Syphilis is a serious sexually transmitted disease that was recently considered incurable. However, today medicine is able to provide the necessary set of tools that allows the patient to return to normal life.
The causative agent of the disease is pale treponema. It was first discovered at the beginning of the last century and for a long time caused horror among ordinary people. The disease in question causes serious damage to the entire body: from the skin and mucous membranes, to the internal organs and bone structure.
Experts draw attention to the fact that the course of the disease and its main symptoms in women and men can be different. The incubation period can last up to 5-6 weeks, without showing any signs of pathology, which makes the disease even more insidious.
How can I get infected?
There are several main ways of transmitting syphilis from person to person:
- Unprotected sex with an infected partner.
- Household contact with an infected person (using the same hygiene products, personal items).
- Through saliva with a kiss.
- A rare case when infection occurs when transfusion of low-quality blood.
Based on the indicated transmission methods, any person should carefully and consciously approach contact with a potentially infected individual.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of the disease vary depending on the stage in which it occurs.
Stages and symptoms of the disease:
- Primary syphilis. This stage is characterized by the formation of small even sores on the skin or mucous membranes (most often in the genital area). This formation is called chancre. It is absolutely painless, does not increase in size over time. After about a week, the patient discovers an increase in the lymph nodes closest to the formation. By the end of the initial stage of the disease, the lymph nodes increase not only in the area of chancre formation, but also throughout the body, there is general fatigue, insomnia and muscle aches.
Secondary syphilis. This stage is considered the period of generalization of the disease. Rashes cover most of the body, there is a fever, constant weakness and aches in the joints and muscles. Neoplasms on the skin can manifest and disappear on their own, the number of relapses and their intensity depends on the individual characteristics of the patient's body. At this stage, a change in the pigmentation of the skin of the patient is often observed.
- Tertiary syphilis. The advanced stage, which is observed in patients who neglect treatment. The appearance of the infected person is completely disfigured, all body systems suffer from a developing infection. In the modern world, cases of tertiary syphilis are rare, but most of them threaten a person with disability.
If unidentified formations appear on the skin or mucous membranes of the genitals, it is important to consult a doctor in time and undergo an examination.
It is important to note the fact that the disease is transmitted from a person suffering from primary syphilis. At later stages, the disease is not contagious, it only destroys the health of the already sick.
Diagnostic and treatment methods
Syphilis treatment regimens may not be universal. Any therapy is selected individually, based on the compiled picture of the disease. It is forbidden to independently decide on any treatment, this will lead to the further spread of pathology and the appearance of serious irreversible complications.
Doctors take into account the following factors:
- Stage of the disease.
- The age of the patient.
- Concomitant pathology.
- The general condition of the patient.
- The living conditions of the patient.
- Individual intolerance to drugs.
There are several main regimens for treating syphilis:
- Ultra short circuit.
- Preventive treatment for syphilis.
- A specific treatment for the second and third stages of the disease.
- A trial treatment that allows you to verify the presence of pale treponema in the human body.
Preventative treatment
Before proceeding to the description of the nuances, it is important to understand what it is - preventive treatment of syphilis? First of all, it is worth mentioning that this approach is used if the ultra-short circuit has not been applied or has not yielded results.
Preventive treatment for syphilis is suitable for people who have been in contact with infected people. This can be not only sexual, but also household contact. In some cases, this helps to prevent the development of the disease in the body of a healthy person. It is possible to make the preventive treatment of syphilis the main one in restoring health, but only if no more than 2 months have passed from the moment of contact with a sick person. In other cases, specific methods developed specifically for the patient are used.
As part of this treatment, the following drugs are used:
- Penicillin antibacterial agents.
- Macrolide antibiotics.
- Cephalosporin antibacterial drugs.
Modern pharmacology and medicine distinguish one of the most popular remedy, which is used in most cases of preventive treatment of syphilis. This is Ceftriaxone, a broad-spectrum antibiotic. The dosage of the drug depends on the stage of the disease and the age of the patient. At the same time, Ceftriaxone becomes an indispensable tool to prevent the development of the disease if an allergy to penicillin is detected.
The very scheme of such treatment includes intramuscular administration of antibacterial drugs that successfully fight the main causative agent of the disease. Despite the prevalence of preventive treatment for syphilis, the regimen and drugs are always selected individually based on the results of the examination.
Availability and effectiveness of preventive treatment
The effectiveness of the preventive treatment of syphilis is not in doubt among specialists, but for this it is important to make a diagnosis on time. This approach, without any doubt, will avoid infection or destroy pathology in the first stage. Preventive treatment does not take much time, which makes it even more popular.
If the disease is diagnosed on time or the person showed vigilance and came for prevention, then a competent doctor will be able to pick up antibacterial agents that will help maintain health.
How much does preventive treatment for syphilis cost? The question is natural and inevitable if a person is at risk of infection. There is no single answer and cannot be, because any treatment regimen will be selected individually for a person.
The cost of preventive treatment for syphilis will be formed from the following factors:
- The medical institution in which the person is observed.
- Region of residence.
- The list of prescribed medicines and their cost.
One thing is for sure - saving on your own health is dangerous.
Syphilis Prevention
Syphilis is a dangerous and common disease, despite a high degree of public awareness about it. It is impossible to insure against infection, but you can minimize the risk by observing some rules.
Disease Prevention:
- Avoid promiscuous sexual intercourse.
- Use barrier methods of contraception in all cases of uncertainty in a partner.
- Pass a timely examination by a doctor if there are alarm signs.
- Avoid contact with the infected.
- Clearly separate personal hygiene products if there is an infected person in the family.
Some medical institutions have special meetings that are aimed at informing the population about the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases.
Recommendations of specialists
The advice of doctors can be reduced to a single common denominator. Each specialist will insist on a regular preventive examination by a gynecologist or urologist, which is necessary for the early diagnosis of pathologies.
Sexually mature people who have an active sex life should not neglect the examination even in the absence of any unpleasant symptoms.
If a person has undergone a preventive treatment for syphilis, then he should responsibly treat further procedures. After therapy, it is necessary to see a doctor regularly and take tests for about six months. This will make sure that there is no disease.