Genital ulcers are sores on the genital or genital area. In addition to these areas, ulcers can also appear on the rectum and the surrounding skin. Ulcers are sores that are painful and take a long time to heal. These sores can also reappear at a later time. Sores on genital ulcers can start as lumps or rashes that sometimes cause pain and discharge.
Causes of Genital Ulcers
Genital ulcers are most often caused by sexually transmitted infections, including:
- Genital herpes
- Syphilis
- Inguinal granuloma
- Lymphogranuloma venereum
- Chancroid
In some cases, genital ulcers can also be caused by infections that are not sexually transmitted. The process of transmission to infection, can not be fully understood. However, this condition is more common in people with weak immunity.
In addition to infection, genital ulcers can be caused by:
- Inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease, Behcet's syndrome, and Steven-Johnson syndrome.
- Injury
- Reactions to skin care products.
- Side effects of drugs, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and hydroxyurea.
Genital Ulcer Risk Factors
There are several factors that can increase the risk of genital ulcers. Among them:
- Uncircumcised men.
- Not having healthy sexual relations, such as changing partners and not using condoms.
Symptoms of Genital Ulcer
Sores in the genital area can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
- Lumps or rash around the ulcer
- Pain
- Itch
- Fever
- Swollen glands in the groin area
- Ulcer oozing fluid
- Pain when urinating
Genital Ulcer Diagnosis
In diagnosing genital ulcers, doctors need to know the patient's history and habits, as well as perform a physical examination on the patient, especially to see the condition of the ulcer. Meanwhile, to find out the cause, the following tests will be carried out:
- Ulcer fluid sampling or blood tests. This examination is done to determine the cause of genital ulcers.
- Take a sample of the ulcer tissue and surrounding skin tissue. This examination will be carried out by a dermatologist if there is no evidence of an infection causing the ulcer.
Genital Ulcer Treatment
Treatment for genital ulcers is carried out based on the cause of the diagnosis. The following are some examples of treatment, if genital ulcers are caused by a sexually transmitted infection:
- Genital herpes.Treatment can be done with antiviral drugs. The example is acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir. These medicines should be taken within 7-10 days. While undergoing treatment, patients are advised not to engage in sexual activity.
- syphilis. Treatment is done with penicillin antibiotics given by injection.
- Chancroid. Treatment can be done with antibiotics ceftriaxone given by injection, or antibiotics azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, or erythromycin which is drunk.
- Lymphogranuloma venereum and inguinal granuloma. Patients with genital ulcers due to this disease can be treated with antibiotics doxycyclinee or erythromycin. Antibiotics can be given for 21 days.
To relieve pain due to genital ulcers, patients can take pain relievers. If the pain when urinating is unbearable, the doctor may insert a urinary catheter.
If genital ulcers are caused by inflammation, the doctor will give anti-inflammatory drugs, for example methylprednisolone. This drug can be given in the form of an ointment, tablet, or injection, depending on the severity of the inflammation,
Genital Ulcer Complications
Complications can arise if genital ulcers are not treated. Complications include the appearance of another infection, worsening inflammation, scarring (permanent sores), or adhesions around the genitals.
In pregnant women, genital ulcers due to infection can be transmitted to the baby during delivery. Meanwhile, in patients with the disease, it can cause disturbances in the nervous system and heart.
Genital Ulcer Prevention
Some efforts that can be done to prevent the occurrence of genital ulcers are:
- Have healthy sexual relations by not changing partners and using condoms.
- Regularly check for sexually transmitted infections, especially in people who are sexually active.
