Late-stage syphilis symptoms are serious business. Though syphilis symptoms in the disease’s early stages are often mild enough to go unnoticed, late-stage syphilis symptoms are far more severe.
Syphilis symptoms often start out in the form of small, firm, painless sores that typically appear at the original site of infection. As the disease progresses, it can produce a rash and flu-like symptoms. Following these initial syphilis symptoms, the disease tends to remain hidden, sometimes for 10 or more years at a time. But once the disease reaches its latter stage, the symptoms of syphilis become far more destructive.
Late-stage syphilis symptoms may include blindness, nerve damage, paralysis, numbness, and dementia. Unfortunately, late-stage syphilis symptoms can be extreme enough to be life-threatening. The best way to avoid these unwanted consequences is to undergo syphilis testing. Anyone who has unprotected sex is at risk for syphilis, but STD testing can be performed even when symptoms haven’t surfaced. If an STD test for syphilis comes back positive, treatment can be given to cure the infection. But getting an early syphilis test is essential when it comes to preventing the disease from truly taking a toll.
