Syphilis symptoms
It is said that King Henry the eighth, one of the most memorable and despised kings in England’s history, died from syphilis. Of course, the medical knowledge at the time of his death was so limited his death might not have been assigned a proper and correct cause. While it is impossible to find out what his actual cause of death was, it is easy to see why some speculate that it was syphilis because Henry the eighth’s symptoms prior to death were remarkably close to symptoms that we now know are syphilis symptoms.
What is Syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can be entirely avoided by using a condom. It is generated by a bacterium that enters your blood stream through your genitals. It can also entire through your rectum, nose, and throat. Interestingly, pregnant women with syphilis can pass the bacteria and syphilis symptoms on to their unborn child both during pregnancy and labor.
Syphilis Symptoms
Syphilis symptoms begin with the presence of a painless sore on the male or female genitals of its victim. Some women develop the sores inside their vagina rather than their outer genital area. Sometimes the sore appears in other places, but generally It is in the genital area where the bacteria that causes syphilis entered the patient’s body. The next syphilis symptom a sufferer may notice is a swelling of their lymph nodes.
In stage two of syphilis, which occurs roughly between four and ten weeks after the above stage, the patient will develop a rash which indicates that the infection has gone past the genitals and reproductive organs and has spread throughout their body. The rash may have open pustules or be completely filled with small red looking sores. Along with the rash the patient might have a fever, weight loss, some hair loss in patches, sore throat, headaches, vision problems, hearing problems, paralysis, unexplained mood swings and irritability and a stiff neck.
The third stage of syphilis is called the latent stage. It is called that because, while the syphilis infection is still present in the body, the syphilis symptoms have disappeared. This stage can last the rest of your life, but after 2 years of latency you are no longer considered to be contagious. Some people do have relapses while in the latency stage. When this happens, you will begin having symptoms again.
The final stage of syphilis is called late stage or tertiary. This stage is only reached when syphilis symptoms are left untreated and the bacteria are allowed to ravage your body. While it is called “late” stage, this stage can happen as soon as one year after you get the infection. Again, it is important to remember that this happens only if you leave syphilis untreated. Otherwise, you should not reach this stage. The syphilis symptoms experienced by those in the tertiary stage include blindness, mental disorders (something Henry the eighth was accused of having), blindness, cardiovascular problems and death. The sufferer may also have large open sores inside and outside their body, and problems with the lining of their brain.
Treatment for Syphilis Symptoms
Antibiotics and penicillin are used to treat syphilis symptoms. This can cure syphilis or, in the very least, prevent its spread to others. If you think that you may have syphilis, visit a doctor immediately and stop having any unprotected sexual relations. You may need to ask your doctor to specifically check for the presence of syphilis since its symptoms often mimic the symptoms of other diseases which can slow down the diagnosis of this troubling infection and increase its ability to spread throughout your body, and to those you have intimate contact with.
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