Symptoms of syphilis in men – Syphilis or often also called the king of lions is a venereal disease that can cause long-term complications, if not treated properly and correctly. Syphilis can be regarded as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a type of bacteria known as Treponema Pallidum. However, the symptoms of syphilis in men are very difficult to detect.
Currently, medicine has categorized syphilis based on the stages of disease development. The following are some of the symptoms of syphilis in men to pay attention to.
Various Symptoms of Syphilis in Men
At each stage of syphilis development, different symptoms will be found. Symptoms of syphilis in men usually appear simultaneously and not always sequentially. There are four stages of syphilis development that need attention, namely the primary stage, secondary stage, latent stage, and tertiary stage. Each stage has its own distinctive signs and symptoms.
According to the Mayo Clinic, you can become infected with the bacteria that can cause lion king disease without any symptoms for years. For more details, here is an explanation of the symptoms of syphilis that can appear in men.
1. Primary stage
The first symptom of syphilis in men is the primary stage. At this stage a sore known as a chancre will appear. These sores cannot be felt, but can appear around the entry points of bacteria into the human body.
Furthermore, the chancre will develop about three weeks or after the body is exposed to bacteria. However, this condition can also only develop from 10 to 90 days. Therefore, someone who is already in the primary stage can easily transmit the bacteria to others.
Some of the symptoms that are usually caused when a person is exposed to the primary stage of syphilis, include the following:
- In men, there are sores that often appear in the genital area, these sores are not always on the penis. These sores can also be painful.
- In women, sores develop on the outside of the genitals, or even on the inside of the vagina, but they are rarely painful.
- There is swelling of the lymph nodes around the wound.
- There are sores that appear on other body parts, such as lips and mouth.
Sores in the primary stage often last 3 to 6 weeks. This condition will heal by itself, but can leave a thin scar. Even though this wound has healed, syphilis in the human body cannot be said to have disappeared. Someone who has had syphilis can still transmit it to others.
2. Secondary level
After the wound in the primary stage has developed, the secondary stage begins to show a rash between 2 to 12 weeks. This rash can develop and spread throughout the body, but is most common on the palms and soles. As with the primary stage, a man who has symptoms of syphilis has a risk of transmitting it to others.
In the secondary stage, a person will feel some of the following symptoms, namely:
- A rash that looks like a normal skin problem with a reddish-brown color, is small, solid, flat, or raised less than two centimeters (cm) high.
- Many small and open wounds appear on the mucous membranes (mucosa), usually the wounds are also filled with pus and are shaped like warts.
- For someone with syphilis with dark skin color, the sores on the skin may appear lighter in color than the surrounding skin.
This rash on the skin can often heal by itself within two months without scarring. When healing is complete, the skin color will change.
However, syphilis infection that spreads throughout the body can also show other symptoms, including:
- Fever with a temperature not higher than 38.3°C
- The body becomes weak and uncomfortable
- Sore throat
- Weight has decreased
- Swelling occurs in the lymph nodes
- Hair loss in areas such as eyebrows, eyelashes and scalp)
- Stiff neck, headache, emotional instability, paralysis, inappropriate reflexes, and irregularly moving eyeballs
Signs and symptoms that occur in the secondary stage will disappear on their own without requiring special treatment. Even so, people who experience syphilis symptoms still have the opportunity to transmit it to others.
3. Leave tap
If the symptoms of syphilis in the man do not go away. It’s good to get medical treatment immediately. The symptoms of syphilis that never heal enter the latent stage. This stage is the phase after a person is infected with syphilis.
After the rash on a person with secondary syphilis disappears, he or she will not experience any symptoms for some time. At this stage, it can be said that the bacterial infection has entered the latent stage. This stage will usually occur briefly, namely one year. However, some people can experience this stage for up to 5 to 20 years.
At this stage, the patient can get an accurate diagnosis by having a blood test. In addition, patients can also show certain symptoms or give birth to babies infected with syphilis. However, if no symptoms appear, the patient may be at risk of transmitting the syphilis-causing bacteria during the initial period of the latent stage and during the latent stage.
4. Tertiary stage
Compared to the previous three stages, the tertiary stage is the most contagious stage of syphilis symptoms in a person. If not treated immediately, this final stage will begin to appear one year after a person is infected. In addition, there is a possibility that the symptoms of syphilis may appear at any time during the patient’s life.
The tertiary stage is known as the stage that is very damaging to the sufferer’s body. This is because it can cause serious problems in the heart and blood vessels. Plus, people with syphilis at this stage will experience problems with the nervous system, blindness, mental disorders, and even death.
This final stage of syphilis has characteristics that depend on the complications that develop in the sufferer’s body. Some complications that can occur due to lion king disease include:
- The appearance of a gummata or a large sore in the body or on the skin.
- Cardiovascular syphilis or syphilis infection that affects the heart and blood vessels.
- Neurosyphilis or syphilis infection that affects the nervous system.
Symptoms of Syphilis in the Brain, Eyes and Ears
Syphilis infection that is not treated with proper treatment can spread to various organs of the human body, such as the brain (neurosyphilis), eyes (ocular syphilis), or ears (ocular syphilis). It should be noted, this complication of syphilis can appear at any stage, whether primary, secondary, latent, or tertiary.
The symptoms caused by syphilis in the brain include:
- severe headache
- difficulty controlling muscle movement
- paralyzed or unable to move parts of the body
- numb
- dementia
Syphilis infection that has spread to the eye will show signs and symptoms, such as the following:
- sore eyes
- rosy eyes
- changes in vision
- blindness.
Meanwhile, syphilis or lion king that develops in the ear gives rise to the following symptoms, namely:
- hearing impairment
- ringing ears
- dizziness or vertigo
Characteristics of Syphilis in Men
Symptoms of syphilis in men have characteristics that can be known before it gets worse. Some of the characteristics of syphilis in men that are often encountered, include:
- The sufferer will experience pain during sexual intercourse.
- There is pain or pain when urinating.
- Painless red sores appear in the genital area which are yellowish in color.
- The penis secretes fluid or feces.
Syphilis Risk Factors in Men
Anyone who is actively having sexual intercourse has a risk of getting syphilis. Therefore, there are several risk factors that can be considered so as not to get this infectious disease. The risk factors for syphilis in men are:
- Unprotected sexual activity, such as a condom.
- Sexual contact with people with syphilis.
- Have sex with someone who lives in an area with a high rate of syphilis.
- Have a family history of syphilis (mother).
5 Ways to Prevent Getting Syphilis
After knowing the various symptoms of syphilis in men, here are some steps you can take to prevent contracting syphilis, namely:
- Do not have casual sex.
- Having long-term sexual intercourse with a person who has been confirmed not to have syphilis.
- Using a condom during sexual intercourse.
- Do not share sex toys with each other.
- Avoid consuming alcohol and illegal drugs which have the potential for unsafe sex.
How to Treat Syphilis
Syphilis is basically curable. Syphilis treatment usually uses antibiotics based on the patient’s symptoms. The antibiotic commonly used for someone who has syphilis is penicillin. Penicillin is effective enough to kill the syphilis-causing bacteria. However, if the patient is allergic to penicillin, the patient may request another antibiotic.
For someone who has received a diagnosis with primary, secondary, or latent syphilis for less than one year. One of the treatments that can be done is with a single injection of penicillin. However, if the patient has had syphilis for more than one year, an additional dose may be needed.
Please note, on the first day of receiving treatment, patients usually experience what is known as a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. This reaction is characterized by signs and symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, pain and headache.
After carrying out the treatment, several things the doctor will ask for, namely:
- Have periodic blood tests to confirm response to usual dose of penicillin. Follow-up will depend largely on the stage of syphilis diagnosed.
- Avoiding sexual contact with new partners until treatment is finished and blood tests show the infection has cleared.
- Tell sexual partners to have laboratory tests and get treatment if necessary.
- Doing a test to detect HIV.
After the treatment process is complete, the patient still has to undergo laboratory tests to ensure that the body is free of the syphilis-causing bacteria. Even so, someone who has had syphilis has the potential to get syphilis again. Therefore, one way to be free from syphilis is to avoid the risk factors as above.
Plus, the symptoms of syphilis in men are often not visible to the naked eye. As a result, sores and rashes may appear in hidden areas, such as the groin or genitals. The only most accurate way to prove someone has syphilis or not is with a laboratory test.
8 Choices of Herbal Medicines to Overcome Syphilis Symptoms
Apart from treating syphilis infection medically, there are several alternative treatments using herbal medicines. Although antibiotics are considered the most effective syphilis drug, most people with syphilis choose traditional ways to treat lion king disease.
In accordance with what is written in the journal Phyto Keys, here are some herbal plants that can help cure syphilis, including:
1. Chaff
Husk or also known as Achyranthes aspera is a plant commonly found in various countries in Asia, such as China, Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, to Indonesia.
This herbal plant is already well-known for its benefits for various diseases, one of which is syphilis. The part of the husk plant that can be used as a traditional syphilis medicine is the root. The root of the husk can treat wounds caused by syphilis.
How to use husks as a syphilis drug is fairly easy. The husk root is cooked with oil and amethyst fruit. Next, apply the processed husk to the part of the skin that is injured by syphilis.
2. Crown flower
Crown flowers or Calotropis gigantea can be found in various countries in Asia, including Indonesia. Some parts of this plant are usually used to treat various diseases, ranging from sap, bark, flowers, and roots.
The part of the crown flower plant that can be used to cure syphilis or lion king is the bark. This plant is actually commonly used by Chinese people to treat syphilis.
3. Sarsaparilla
Sarsaparilla or Ichnocarpus frutescens is known as a very fresh soft drink. However, Sarsaparilla can actually be used to treat syphilis. Apart from being used as a syphilis drug, this herbal plant which is found in many countries in Asia has roots that can treat various diseases, such as scabs, animal bites, and smallpox.
4. Pink Kopsia
Pink Kopsia or Kopsia fruticosa is commonly found in various countries in Southeast Asia. This plant can also be used for herbal medicine to treat wounds and syphilis, especially the roots. It’s just that, not many studies have shown the special medical properties of these plants.
5. Yellow trumpet flower
Yellow trumpet flower or also known as the Latin name Tecoma stans is a very beautiful plant. This plant can also be used as a syphilis drug and various other poisons. The bark is the most targeted part as medicine.
6. Annie’s lace
One of the plants that can be used to treat syphilis is Annie’s lace (Cyperus scariosus). This plant can be used as a traditional syphilis medicine. The way to use it is to just boil it with the palasa or ploso plants (Butea monosperma).
7. Milkhedge
Milkhedge is a plant that has the Latin name Euphorbia antiquorum. This plant can be found in Southeast Asia, especially in India. Indian people usually use this plant to treat constipation. However, this plant can also be used as a syphilis drug.
The part of Milkhedge that can be used to treat syphilis is the pith or the tissue in the deepest part of the stem. Next, process this plant by slicing the stem, drying it, until it becomes powder. Furthermore, the processed sap can be rubbed on the surface of the skin. you can
8. Black plums
The last plant that can be used to treat syphilis is black plum. A plant commonly used by people in various countries in Asia to treat syphilis, such as China, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Like the previous plant, the root is the most important part for the traditional treatment of syphilis.
This is an explanation of the symptoms of syphilis in men, starting from the four stages of syphilis symptoms, the characteristics of syphilis, risk factors for syphilis, to how to treat syphilis.