2024-02-14 13:19:35
Syphilis, colloquially known as “hard chancre”, is a sexually transmitted disease. Cases in Germany have been rising rapidly since the 2000s. Reasons for this: Dating apps enable quick and varied sexual contacts. Due to the increasing consumption of alcohol and drugs, awareness of risk and pain is decreasing. But what are they? Symptoms of syphilis? How can you protect yourself and what can you do about it?
Symptoms of syphilis: The number of cases is continually increasing
The bitter thing about syphilis? It is often barely noticed and is also highly contagious. A combination that has ensured that the number of cases has risen continuously since 2000. The collection of the numbers is in the hands of the Robert Koch Institute on the basis of the Infection Protection Act. Every positive syphilis test is sent to you without a name.
What do the numbers say other than a general increase in cases? Demographically, men are affected more often than women. Geographically, many cases can be recorded, especially in large cities such as Berlin and Hamburg.
The good news first: Syphilis is curable. The bad thing afterwards: The symptoms are tough. (Photo: shutterstock/ ECOSY)
These are the typical symptoms of syphilis
Anyone who becomes infected with syphilis usually goes through different stages, which are accompanied by very different symptoms. The stages are usually accompanied by phases without symptoms (latency phases).
If the infection remains undetected, serious health consequences can occur. In most cases, however, syphilis is discovered early and can be easily treated with antibiotics. You should know the following stages and symptoms:
3 weeks after contact with the pathogen
In the primary stage, an ulcer (the chancre) develops at the site of the body where the pathogen has invaded. In most cases it is in the genital or mouth area. The ulcer is small, brown-reddish, has hard edges and is painless – but by no means harmless: It is these weeping ulcers that are the highly infectious source of the infection. If left untreated, they can also leave scars.
The lymph nodes can also swell. The symptoms will disappear on their own if left untreated. The entry into the first symptom-free phase follows.
2 months after contact with the pathogen
In the secondary stage, general symptoms of the disease can become noticeable:
- Fever
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Rashes
- Coating on the tongue
- Loss of appetite
- weight loss
In this phase, contagious eczema and nodules are also possible, which can extend over the entire body. Syphilis is therefore by no means limited to the genital area, but can affect the entire body. These symptoms usually go away on their own.
years after contact with the pathogen
Followed by a long latency phase is the tertiary stage, which is very rare in the Western world as it is usually preceded by treatment. During this phase, ulcers can appear all over the body, affecting organs and also the nervous system. The consequences can be:
- deafness
- blindness
- Mental deterioration
How easy is it to become infected with syphilis? (Photo: shutterstock/Fotos593)
How do you get infected?
Syphilis is a serious sexually transmitted disease. The infection occurs through the pathogen Treponema Pallidum, which is present wherever the skin or mucous membrane has changed due to syphilis. But the pathogen can also be found in the blood. A blood test is usually carried out for the diagnosis.
The smallest injuries in the (mucous) skin allow the pathogen entry: including the smallest cracks that can occur naturally during vaginal or anal intercourse. Although condoms can prevent infection, they are not 100% protection, as weeping areas of syphilis can also be highly contagious.
Infection with syphilis cannot be ruled out even during oral sex. Important to know: Even if you don’t feel any symptoms of syphilis, you are contagious.
The condom is and remains the safest protection against STIs. (Photo: shutterstock/ Elena Verba)
How do you protect yourself from syphilis?
In addition to the condom and the femidom, the only thing that helps is to get tested regularly for STIs, especially if you change your sexual partners frequently. The risk of infection is only over after a negative test or after treatment has been completed.
That means, as harsh as it sounds, the only way to definitely not get infected with syphilis is to stop having sex until then.
Be careful of the ping-pong effect: You should also avoid sexual intercourse during treatment so that your partner does not become infected and then infect the previously infected person again.
Continue reading: Read here how to determine the condom size and how to put a condom on safely.
Symptoms of syphilis can be avoided
The symptoms of syphilis are anything but desirable – and the treatment is anything but quick: it usually requires a lengthy antibiotic treatment that can last up to three weeks. The downer? It usually strikes efficiently.
Sex is the best thing in the world, but only if you feel safe and can let go. So if you want a relaxed and safe sex life and also if you want to help keep the increase in syphilis cases low, you should get tested regularly and use condoms. Yes, even if hormonal contraception is used. Yes, even if it feels more realistic without a condom.
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