Syphilis???

[Collegedummy]

Hi I've had a canker sore on the inside of my lip for about 2 weeks now that is just starting to heal and I now noticed a small bump near my rear end but not actually on it, rather a inch or two away from it and didn't know if it could be something as small as an irritated ingrown hair or something else. Also I now have small bumps around my right ankle, very small almost like dot's that don't seem to itch and have a couple on my knee that are bigger that I thought might be the start of pimples but don't think they are.

I know that syphilis can cause bumps around the privates can show up on the hands and feet/ankles areas as well as show up in the mouth as well and didn't know if this sounds anything like syphilis or something else. I am sexually active but use protection except with oral and wouldn't think I have been with anyone with syphilis but I do not know for certain. I was hoping someone that is more educated then me on this subject could help me out and let me know if whatevers going on with me sounds like syphilis and what exactly the symptoms or warning signs for syphilis are in detail since I don't know much, thank you for all your help in advance!

[joggen]

Primarily syphilis manifests as painless sores at the site of infection- usually the genitals and sometimes the mouth.

Your canker sore doesn't sound like syphilis, but if you are a man who performs oral sex on other men, then you might want to get it checked out anyway.

[Collegedummy]

Thanks for your response, the canker sore that i've had in my mouth has hurt pretty bad until now because it's starting to go away.  I'm guessing its a canker from biting  the inside of my lip or something like that then. I didn't know that even the syphilis sores that are in the mouth are painless, I thought they would have some pain since there in your mouth. I also began to worry about syphilis since I started to notice a few bumps on my ankle and one in my privates area starting up when the sore was starting to go away, which apparently happens with syphilis, but I guess they are caused by something else then. Am I on the right track here? Since my canker sore in my mouth hurt most of the time it couldn't have been syphilis right?

Also I am straight, but if my canker doesn't completely go away or these bumps get worse I will get it checked out. You have been a lot of help. One other question though, how long do normal canker sores last, a couple weeks? because I've had mine for almost 2 weeks now. Again thank you for your help and if you could just answer my couple question so I know i'm on the right track now I would really appreciate it, thank you!

[joggen]

You are on the right track. You have no syphilis worries. The disease is really rare and is mostly confined to men who have sex with men, blacks in inner cities on the east coast, and latinos on the west coast. It is extremely rare on college campuses. If you never had a partner who fits in those categories then you were not at any significant risk for syphilis. And it sounds like you just have a garden variety canker sore anyway.

I have no idea how long canker sores usually last, but I have had them for two weeks.

[Collegedummy]

Thank you for all your help but I believe I have more cause for concern now. Last night before going to bed I saw on the shaft of my penis a small red bump like the little dots that are on my ankle. I picked at it and nothing seemed to come out and looked at it this morning and it barely noticable but still has me freaked out because whatever is on my ankle is now on my penis. These bumps don't itch and dont look like posion ivy or bug bites or anything like that so it is worrying me. Also last night I checked on the bump near my rear end and I think that is from an ingrown hair but still not sure, anyway i found another bump in the crease where my right leg and private parts area come together. It looks like possibly a mole but also a lot like some of the std pics of syphilis that i've seen, it doesn't hurt and it red, a circle and slightly raised. I had something like this a few weeks ago around the same place but on the left side i thought, but it might have been the right side because at the time I wasn't giving it much attention. Lastly last night i noticed that two of my lymph nodes in my groin on the right side are swollen and hurt to touch. They aren't swollen to the point to where they stick out obviously but they are swollen and hurt.

I'm sorry to keep asking you questions, but you seem to know what you are talking about and I am starting to get real worried over these new things that have come about. I work all week so it's hard for me to get a dr.s appoinment, but I might have to try and get one this week, but in the meantime I'm hoping you can give me an idea about what might be going on and if I do indeed have syphilis or another STD or something else. Thank you very much for your time and if you could answer these questions I would really appreciate it, thank you!

[joggen]

I have no other comment other than it doesn't sound like an STD, and to see a doctor if you are concerned about your bumps as you have planned. You doctor will tell you if they have any significance, but from my perspective you seem to be overly focused on minor changes in your body. Beyond that, this forum cannot make diagnoses so I don't think it has much more to offer you (sorry).