What type of blood test is most accurate for early diagnosis of syphilis? i
had sex with my boyfriend a week ago and had a bump appear on the outskirts of my anus. it hurt when it first appeared and then lost feeling. While wiping myself it ruptured and bleed for a while. It now has a scab on it. I have and had have genital herpes for years which i thought was was this was but my outbreaks have never bleed nor has a scab appeared. i also used my valtrex and denavir, neither of which seem to be helping. It doesn't seem to be drying up. What do you think i should do? What test do you think is appropriate?

Hi,

Consider a staph infection of the skin alone or as a complication of an
herpes outbreak. If so you need antibiotics and to see a physician.
Consider also to do recurrent HIV Screenings. For Syphilis take a RPR (also called VDRL) test.

Be well.

Dr. Gian

 

Yes. I found out my wife was cheating on me approx. about 2yrs. ago. I had a sore come on my penis. I went to the doctor and he treated me for syphillis. But the syptoms have never went away. My back, especialy on my left side bothers me all the time. I've went to two doctors and its like they don't want to full with me. If this has got to the second stages is there anything i can do for this. I need your help?

Hi
your history is insufficient for me to make any comment. However I would try again to talk to my Doctor and get some counseling on STD and I would also ask to be tested for Syphilis for peace of mind. Have your back examined for other pathologies like nerve root inflammation and others. By the way, have you closed the case in your mind with your wife?

I hope this helps,

Be well.

Dr. Gian

Dear Dr. Gian,

I recently broke up with my girlfriend of many years, and during the time when we were still going out i discovered that she had not been completely faithful. I grew concerned that in our intimacy i could have contracted something. I convinced her to get tested, and she did get a test for the regular ones, including HIV, i believe.

Everything came up negative. However, there is one test I believe she did not get syphilis. I know it is not the most common std, and until I discovered how unfaithful she was, and the possibility that her partners might not have been so clean, I would have never worried about getting syphilis. Since then though i have noticed some similar symptoms to syphilis, at least what you have described on the web site. I noticed strange rashes I have been having, particularly on the hands and feet. And on the souls of the feet, a strange blistering. Other areas of my body seem to be lightly affected by this rash like occurrence. And i remember seeing an unusual painless legion on my genital area a long time back , but I never thought anything of it. Lately I just have been having unusual symptoms, and I have had some weird issues with my joints and nerves. Overall I just haven't been as healthy as I should. I am actually scheduled to see a neurologist about pinching nerves and muscle spasms in my shoulder. I wouldn't have thought much of my unusual symptoms had it not been for this girlfriend issue, but I just wanted to know what I should do. I know if she contracted this, I definitely caught it, but I just want to know what I should do. I do feel a little weird going to the doctor's office and telling them I want a test for syphilis.

Tanks for your time,

J

Hi, J

It seems to me you are growing up a huge tornado in your mind and things could be resolved in a few minutes with a simple and non expensive screening test for Syphilis. What you are describing are symptoms of systemic syphilis and what you are showing is instead anxiety. My goodness! Please get tested and next day your mind will be at peace....at least about Syphilis!

Time for closure and an opening to Being well.

Dr. Gian

Is the blood test the only way to test for Syphilis? Is their a urine test?

Sharon
Grad. Student

Yes, the blood test is the way to go with a syphilis infection or for
screening purposes. Occasionally a spinal tap and spinal liquid
examination is done in the second or third stages of the disease to find out if there is an involvement of the central nervous system. No urine test is available.

Greetings,

Dr. Gian

Please doc help me with the name of drugs that will cure syphilis.

Hi,

The gold standard for treatment of syphilis is consecutive daily shots of procaine penicillin. The dosage and duration of treatment are determined by the person's situation. i.e. Is there a sore still present? Are there secondary skin lesions and rashes. Is there involvement of the nervous system? and so on. If one is not sure of the situation (as is usually the case), blood testing titres (RPR or VDRL titres) determines the treatment regime. There are a number of treatment options for patients who are allergic to penicillin, who are afraid of the needle or who may not comply with a series of daily injections. These treatment options have not been as well studied as the procaine penicillin regimes but are totally acceptable alternatives.
I hope this helps.

Dr. Gian