If you are interested in the symptoms of syphilis then most probably you already know that this is one of the most well-known STDs of them all that in the last stages leads to blindness, mental disorders, and in the end death. This is all caused by a bacterium in the shape of a corkscrew.
Syphilis symptoms
You should know that the infection has different stages, and the symptoms always vary according to the stage that the infection is in. Nonetheless it is good to know that in some cases these stages could overlap and the symptoms not always occur in the same order.
Another important piece of information regarding syphilis symptoms is that it is possible for the infected people to be carrying the bacterium for long periods of time and not even know about it because at the beginning the infection could show no signs.
Primary syphilis
The first one of the symptoms of syphilis is a small sore that is also known as chancre. This appears in the exact location where the bacterium got into the body. In the majority of the cases the patients have only one chancre of this kind, but it is also possible to have more of them.
Usually this one of the syphilis symptoms appears about 3 weeks after the exposure to the bacterium. In some cases the patients don’t notice it because it doesn’t cause pain and it may be hidden in the anus or the vagina. It will heal on its own in about 6 weeks.
Secondary syphilis
A few weeks after the chancre heals, as another one of the symptoms of syphilis, you will have your entire body covered by a rash that starts at the torso. It spreads to every part of the body, even to the soles of your feet and your palm. In the majority of the cases there is no itching accompanying the rash and you could also develop sores in the genital area and the mouth.
Some other syphilis symptoms include fever, muscle ache, swollen lymph nodes and a sore throat. The majority of these signs will disappear in a few weeks, or they could also come and go continuously for about a year.
Latent syphilis
In case you don’t receive any treatment for your symptoms of syphilis, then after the second stage the condition will move on to the latent stage. Just as the name suggests, during this stage there are no symptoms of the condition whatsoever.
The truth about this stage is that it could last for years. It is possible that the syphilis symptoms never return again, but it is also possible to enter the tertiary or third stage of the condition.
Late or tertiary syphilis
15%-30% of the people having the infection that don’t receive any treatment will get to this stage. During this period as symptoms of syphilis you may experience that the infection damages your brain, eyes, nerves, heart, liver, blood vessels, joints and blood vessels. This happens a long time after the infection.
