Syphilis is among the most common STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) in the United States, affecting thousands of people every year. Spread by bacteria, the infection is passed on through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex. People who share infected needles or sex toys are also at risk of contracting the infection. A pregnant woman infected with syphilis can pass on the infection to the unborn child.
As in the case of most STIs and STDs, regular screening is the only way to ensure if you have been infected with syphilis. Even if you test positive, there is no reason to stress since syphilis can be easily treated and cured with the right treatment. Remember that if you keep putting off the screening or the treatment, an infection of syphilis can cause irreversible damage to your brain, heart, and the nervous system.
Identifying syphilis infection
Let us move on to the signs and symptoms of syphilis. The symptoms of syphilis are usually very mild, leading to most people being unaware of the signs and inadvertently passing on the infection without knowing that they are infected. It is not unusual for infected people to remain unaware of the infection for years due to the mild or non-existent nature of symptoms.
About two to three weeks after being infected with syphilis, the infected person may notice a chancre – a painless sore – in their genital area or around the anus. However, this symptom may not exhibit itself in every infected person. These sores usually heal on their own within three to eight weeks. However, if the person has still not started with treatment, more severe symptoms may surface.
After the initial symptom subsides, the infected person may feel unwell with headache or fever. Some people may also experience swollen glands and noticeable weight loss. Other symptoms include skin growths in the genital or anal area. Sometimes, infected people may also notice red rashes on different parts of the body such as the soles of the feet or palms of the hands.
These signs and symptoms of syphilis too vanish after a while and the person enters what is known as the latent stage of syphilis. During this stage, the person will continue to lead a normal life devoid of any symptoms even though the infection is present in the body. The latent stage can last for years or even decades.
In the absence of treatment with antibiotics, the signs and symptoms of syphilis infection can advance through various phases and spread to different parts of the body.
Testing and treatment
Pentagon syphilis STD screening is a very simple process. All you need to do is provide a blood sample and the healthcare professional at urgent care testing clinic will take care of the rest. Sometimes, the doctor may need to examine growths or rashes in your genital area and collect swabs for testing.
In case you test positive, the doctor at urgent care STD clinic will prescribe antibiotics. Follow the treatment plan and you will be cured in no time. Make sure that you inform your sexual partners about your diagnosis so that they too can get tested and seek treatment.
