Syphilis Treatment Singapore | HIV PEP
Syphilis Treatment in Singapore: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterial infection. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications in men and women.
Treatment for syphilis
The primary, secondary, and latent stages of syphilis can often be treated with a single injection of penicillin. Sometimes, a course of injections or oral antibiotics are used instead. Penicillin is preferred for the treatment syphilis; if you are allergic to penicillin, you may receive an alternative antibiotic, such as azithromycin. This treatment usually lasts for 10-14 days, but may be extended in some cases if there are complications. If treated properly, syphilis can be completely cured in the initial stages. Keep in mind thatc antibiotics may interfere with other medications such as hormonal contraception; you will need to use another method of birth control during the treatment.
If you are in tertiary stage syphilis, your infection can still be cured, in the sense that the bacteria can be eradicated from your body. However, most of the disease complications that developed before treatment are irreversible.
In the initial stages of the treatment, some individuals may experience a few side effects, such as headache, muscle and joint pains, high temperature, and flu-like symptoms. This is a result of toxins entering the body from the dead bacteria. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids to flush the toxins out of your body. Your doctor may prescribe paracetamol to relieve these symptoms.
Once you complete syphilis treatment, you should have another blood test to make sure the antibiotic treatment worked. You should refrain from sexual activities until your infection been cured. You should also inform your current and recent partner(s), and suggest that they get tested for syphilis. You should also be tested for HIV and other STDs, as you may have acquired them when you acquired syphilis.
If you receive proper treatment during the primary or secondary stages of syphilis, you can prevent all of the permanent, long-term consequences of the disease.