Tertiary syphilis occurs in those individuals who for some reason did not receive timely treatment at the first detection of the disease. Sometimes pathology goes into this stage due to illiterate treatment.
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What is tertiary syphilis
The tertiary period of syphilis is the next and final stage in the development of this serious disease. Fortunately, it is extremely rare, since modern medicine has in its arsenal powerful means of combating this ailment.
The causative agent of the pathology is Treponema pallidum (pale treponema).
Incubation period
The disease passes into this stage 5-8 years after the manifestation. But sometimes there are cases that dozens of years pass, and special signs of the disease are not visible. This feature is observed in latent form. But still, in half of the patients, it develops after about 3-4 years from the moment of infection. The duration of the incubation period depends on the age of the patient and the presence of chronic diseases. But in the end, the development of the pathological process still leads to disfigurement of appearance, disability and death.
Patients in this stage of syphilis are practically not contagious, since the pathogens inside the infiltrate die during its decay and do not stand out.
Causes of the disease
The reasons for the development of this sexually transmitted disease are:
- promiscuous sex life (the most important provoking factor in 95% of cases of the disease);
- contact with the blood of a sick person during surgery, the use of syringes (especially in drug addicts).
The tertiary form develops after an untreated or undetected secondary stage. Of the provocative moments, it is worth mentioning the presence of serious chronic diseases, old age, alcohol abuse, poor living conditions.
Symptoms and signs of the disease
Clinical manifestations are mainly local in nature and develop for months or even years.
Signs of tertiary syphilis:
- the formation of tubercular syphilis - specific skin lesions, after which scars remain;
- the formation of gum - nodes in the subcutaneous fat;
- rashes in the form of roseola;
- bone destruction;
- damage to the mucous membranes of the nose, pharynx, palate;
- violation of the functioning of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract;
- bouts of depression, hallucinations, unstable mental state;
- general weakness and high fatigue;
- dyspnea.
Skin and internal neoplasms squeeze nearby tissues, as well as disrupt the functioning of organs, which poses a serious threat to the patient's life. The process of scarring ulcers greatly disfigures a person's face. For example, many have a cavity instead of a nose.
In most cases, tubercles are asymmetrically located on a specific area of the skin. They have a slightly convex shape and acquire a reddish-cyanotic color. The size of the neoplasms is with a sweet cherry, the texture is dense, the boundaries are clear. Over time, necrosis develops, which can manifest itself in a dry way, resulting in atrophy.
Often, necrosis passes into an ulcer that heals for a long time and leaves behind a slightly sunken scar with a border. This process lasts for weeks and months, without causing special subjective sensations.
Gumma can reach the size of a walnut. As they increase, they connect to the skin and begin to soften. A small hole forms in the center through which a mucus-like and viscous liquid is released. There comes necrosis, after which a deep ulcer is formed in the form of a crater, at the bottom of which there are dead tissue - the so-called gummy rod. When it separates, a deep scar forms in appearance resembling a star.
Sometimes severe damage to the oral mucosa is observed, as a result of which trophic disorders occur, a decrease and tightening of the tongue, painful cracks, exposure of the periosteum of the palate. There is a message between the mouth and nose, which is why the patient has difficulty chewing food, swallowing and talking.
Diagnostic measures
Diagnosis of tertiary syphilis is based on the clinical picture of the disease, the results of studies. The patient must pass the appropriate tests, most often it is RPHA - the detection of specific antibodies in the blood serum.
And the patient also needs to undergo an ECG, an ultrasound of the heart, an x-ray of the bones and lungs, gastroscopy and other necessary measures to determine the degree of damage to the internal organs.
Treatment regimen for venereal disease
Treatment of tertiary syphilis is based on the use of strong antibiotics, which should kill the causative agent of the disease.
Drug treatment
The scheme of drug therapy looks like this: at first, all patients take tetracycline or another medicine prescribed by a doctor for two weeks. After such preparation, antibiotics are prescribed with penicillin-based drugs. Treatment takes place in several courses with interruptions of 2 weeks.
To alleviate the patient’s condition and relieve symptoms, general strengthening and painkillers, hormones, immunomodulators are prescribed. The general scheme of the entire course is determined by a dermatovenerologist and therapist, but in complex cases, narrow-profile specialists, such as ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists, cardiologists, also make their corrections.
Traditional medicine recipes
Traditional medicine also did not ignore this form of pathology, however, the proposed drugs can only alleviate the symptoms of the disease or have a general strengthening and stimulating effect. Most commonly used are iodine, honey, garlic, wine, and burdock root oil.
One of the popular remedies is a decoction of burdock root. Chopped raw materials (1 tbsp. L.) Pour a glass of water, bring to a boil, heat for a third of an hour. Strain and drink the liquid for 1 tbsp. l per day.
Additionally, a decoction of the sedge sandy root is used. The peeled roots (20 g) need to be ground in a meat grinder, pour boiling water (3 tbsp.). The resulting mass must be boiled on a minimum fire until 300 ml of liquid remains. Strain the mixture and consume ¼ cup 3-4 times a day.
Medicines based on ordinary hop are popular among the people. To improve the condition of the patient, 2 tbsp. l raw materials insist for 2 hours. The strained composition is consumed 4 times a day for 100 ml.
Small cornflower is also medicinal. One Art. l dried raw materials, pour 200 ml of boiling water and cook for a quarter of an hour in a water bath. The cooled composition is used for 2 tbsp. l at least three times a day. The maximum shelf life in a cold place is 2 days, then you need to prepare a new potion.
And also often make a medicine based on red wine.
Ingredients:
- 200 g of strawberry jam;
- 100 ml of water;
- 400 g of warm wine (preferably red);
- some apple juice;
- 7 cloves of garlic.
Cooking:
- Dilute the jam with purified water and bring to a boil.
- Pour juice and wine into the general container. Stir and cool.
- Pound the garlic, add to the chilled mixture.
- Insist for at least 3 hours. Strain.
- Drink 100 ml every day.
There is another recipe. Component List:
- 2 l of water;
- 2 apples
- 1 glass of fruits of hawthorn and rose hips;
- 7 cloves of garlic.
Sequencing:
- Wash the fruits.
- Grind fruits, combine both formulations, mix with other components.
- Pour the whole mass with boiling water, insist 4-5 hours.
- Drink strained and slightly warm at ½ tbsp. after each main meal.
There is no particular reason to count on the effect of such a recovery. You need to see a doctor and undergo antibiotic therapy.
Surgical intervention
The operation is prescribed in case of severe violations and malfunctions of organs:
- stomach deformity;
- stenosis;
- curvature of bones, damage to joints;
- deformation of the maxillofacial part of the skull;
- nasal congestion;
- the presence of large gummy ulcers in the oral cavity;
- oncology.
Often operations are done for purely cosmetic purposes. A disfigured face almost always depresses the patient's psyche, which is an indication for the operation. The main condition is that before the surgical intervention, the manifestations of syphilis are completely eliminated.
Complications and prognosis
Complications have very serious consequences. This is heart failure, and aortic aneurysm, and heart attack, and a spasm of the coronary vessels up to a fatal outcome.
It is quite difficult to achieve success and complete recovery through the therapy. The prognosis of the disease primarily depends on the degree of damage to the internal organs. Therefore, the main goal of all medical measures is to stabilize the patient's condition and stop the rapid progression of pathology.
Prevention
In order to avoid infection, it is necessary to avoid random random sexual intercourse, and mandatory use of barrier methods of contraception. And it is also advisable to undergo medical examinations from time to time, to pass laboratory tests for the presence of genital infections. People who are at risk need to ensure constant monitoring of their health status.
It is very important to timely identify and treat patients infected with primary and secondary syphilis. Care must be taken to monitor their health.It happens that after treatment, the disease becomes latent, in which the pathogen activity is suppressed, but the patient’s immunity is too weak. In such cases, plasmapheresis is often prescribed for blood purification, a procedure that removes toxic substances from plasma. Such a manipulation helps to increase the number of antibodies in one and a half to two times, because it is an effective preventive measure of syphilis recurrence.
Timely medical care is able to cope with pathologies and accelerate recovery.
