"Dont all syphilis ulcers cause pain?"
Syphilis ulcers are usually painless, especially in the early stage of primary chancre. However, this does not mean they can be ignored. It is recommended to seek medical screening and treatment as soon as possible to prevent progression to severe complications. Generally, the course of syphilis is divided into multiple stages, with different symptoms appearing in each stage, which requires full attention.
The typical initial symptom of syphilis is a primary chancre, which is usually a single, painless, firm small ulcer that often occurs at the site of contact with Treponema pallidum. The reason for the ulcer being painless is that the nerves in the affected area are insensitive, combined with the slow destructive effect of Treponema pallidum on tissues, leading patients to often overlook this symptom. Despite being painless, the primary chancre is highly contagious. If untreated, it will disappear spontaneously within a few weeks, but the virus will enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, entering the latent stage of syphilis.
As the disease progresses, syphilis may enter the secondary or tertiary stage, manifesting as skin rashes, mucosal lesions, and even neurological problems. Tertiary syphilis can cause irreversible severe damage to the cardiovascular system, brain, and other organs. Even though early ulcers are painless, the potential long-term risks are very high.
After confirming the diagnosis of syphilis, appropriate treatment should be selected based on the stage of the disease, especially in the primary chancre stage, where standardized treatment can effectively prevent progression: ✔ Drug treatment: Penicillin injection is the preferred treatment. Early syphilis is usually treated with intramuscular injection of long-acting penicillin benzathine penicillin G for a course of 1-3 weeks. Patients allergic to penicillin can choose erythromycin or doxycycline orally. ✔ Prevention of transmission: Avoid sexual activity during treatment, and partners should also undergo syphilis testing to cut off transmission routes. ✔ Regular follow-up: Blood tests should be conducted at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment to ensure complete clearance of the pathogen and assess treatment effectiveness.
Avoiding unsafe sexual contact and maintaining a high degree of vigilance are key to preventing syphilis. ✔ Rational choice of partner and use of condoms, especially when the sexual partner's health status is unclear. Pregnant women should proactively screen for syphilis during pregnancy to avoid congenital transmission risks. Although syphilis ulcers are usually painless in the early stages, this is precisely the reason for neglect, which can easily delay medical treatment. It is recommended to seek medical screening and receive standardized treatment as soon as possible upon discovering suspected symptoms to protect one's own and others' health.
