What is Syphilis?
Syphilis belongs to the family of sexually transmitted diseases because it transfers from one person to another through sexual contact. The initial stages of the disease start from the development of a painless sore on the sexual organs – mouth, rectum, or genitals. The disease is dangerous as whoever comes in contact with the carrier can catch the disease by physical or mucous membrane contact with the sores.
Syphilis is much more widespread than people realize as it accounts for most cases of its diagnosis. It can trigger severe problems like vision related issues- blindness, brain damage, and arthritis. The disease worsens over time without suitable treatment. Even children are not spared from the maliciousness of the disease. A pregnant mother who is a carrier of Syphilis can pass the disease to her child.
What are the causes of Syphilis?
Treponema pallidum bacteria causes Syphilis, but the common cause of its transmission is through sexual contact or contact with the infected person’s sore. The bacteria is the root cause of Syphilis, and its passage to the body is through minor cuts and mucous membranes.
Any physical contact, whether a sexual, oral, or physical touch with the active sore associated with Syphilis, can create risks for developing the disease. It can not spread through coming in contact with basic things like doorknobs, clothing, a shower, or the same toilet.
What are the symptoms of Syphilis?
The symptoms of Syphilis depend on the stages of Syphilis, and they differ according to their stages. In some cases, the overlapping of stage occurs, and symptoms suppress and do not reveal themselves. Due to which the carrier of Syphilis unknowingly carries the infection over the years. Following are the stages of syphilis:
PRIMARY SYPHILIS
In this initial stage, the first sign of Syphilis is a tiny sore known as a chancre. After that, the infected sore appears on that part from where the bacteria entered the body. One or several chancres can appear on the infected parts of the body.
The infected people tend to be unaware of their infection as the sore is painless and occurs in sexual areas hidden from the sight, like the rectum or vagina.
SECONDARY SYPHILIS
After few weeks of being infected with Syphilis, you may experience an unusual rash on the trunk that develops and covers the entire body eventually. Infected people can also suffer from the following symptoms:
- Hair loss.
- Muscle pain.
- Fever.
- Sore throat.
- Swelling in lymph nodes.
The alarming fact about these symptoms is that they come and repeatedly go, making it more complicated for the syphilis patient to handle the disease.
LATENT SYPHILIS
Untreated Syphilis leads from the secondary stage to the latent stage; the latent stage does not showcase any signs and symptoms of Syphilis. It can go on like that for years, due to which the signs and symptoms do not return and results in the progression of the disease, i.e., tertiary Syphilis.
TERTIARY SYPHILIS
People who do not get proper treatment for Syphilis develop specific complications called late Syphilis. In this stage, these health problems occur that causes damage to the
- Brain.
- Nerves.
- Eyes.
- Heart.
- Blood vessels.
- Liver.
- Bones.
- Joints.
NEUROSYPHILIS
Damage to the central system of the body due to Syphilis gives rise to the stage of neurosyphilis. The metastasizing disease causes damage to the nervous system, brain, and eye.
CONGENITAL SYPHILIS
Unborn babies can inherit the disease from their mother if they are carriers of the bacterial infection- Syphilis. Some babies do not develop any symptoms of congenital Syphilis, while others can experience some rashes on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands. The symptoms that occur later after the progression are:
- Teeth deformities
- Hearing impairment.
- Saddle nose — the bridge of the nose collapses.
What are the risk factors of Syphilis?
The following factors increase your risk of contracting the disease. They are:
- Having unprotected sex.
- Being involved with multiple partners sexually.
- Having sex with the same gender.
- Being a carrier of HIV.
Ayurvedic treatment for Syphilis
Ayurveda states that the disease is caused by the vitiation of three doshas in which Kapha is targeted that causes the chronic course of the disease. The severity of the disease causes intoxication of seven dhatus (tissues), resulting in life-threatening complications.
Ayurveda reveals that the weak immune system is also a central cause of the disease, due to which the bacteria stay in the body and gives birth to various complications. That is why ayurvedic treatment for Syphilis focuses on dealing with these complications and reducing the progression of the disease by increasing the immunity of the syphilis patient. In addition, ayurvedic herbal medications boost the natural healing capabilities, due to which the immune system combat against the foreign bacteria naturally and revives the damaged tissues.