Venereologist

Venereology is not, as one might initially assume with a profound half-knowledge based on the name, the medical specialty that deals with veins and other blood vessels, no: the Venereologist is a doctor who specializes solely in STDs. Since these are often the very first noticeable on the skin, the specialist in venereology is often closely linked to the dermatologist's profession, so that you can read at the end of most practice signs: Dermatologist and venereologist, specialist in skin and venereal diseases.

What is a venereologist?

Venereology is the study of sexually transmitted diseases. The word is derived from the Latin "venus", which means something like "lust for love" and has found its way into Roman mythology as Venus, the goddess of love.

Venereology is a very small profession without any further subdivision, but is closely linked to the medical specialties of dermatology, i.e. skin diseases, and andrology, the study of male diseases (the counterpart to gynecology as "men's studies").

As a small specialist area, the areas of responsibility of venereology are often claimed and taken over by internists or urologists.

Treatments & therapies

The treatment spectrum of the Venereologist First of all, covers everything that is sexually transmitted. In the classic sense, these are primarily gonorrhea and syphilis.

Gonorrhea is also known as gonorrhea and is caused by gonococci, small immobile bacteria. It is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, sometimes noticeable as a burning sensation in the urethra and creamy, purulent discharge, but in many cases it also has no specific symptoms. The tricky thing is that the bacteria can then be transmitted by the infected person who feels healthy during sexual intercourse and the infection is thus spread further.

Since gonorrhea can also affect fallopian tubes and male seminal ducts and thus lead to infertility, it should be recognized and treated in good time.

In contrast to gonorrhea, which rarely affects organs other than the genital organs, syphilis in the later stages is a generalized systemic disease. In the early stages, however, it is usually noticeable, also caused by bacteria (Treponema pallidum), by the so-called "hard chancre", a painless ulcer on the genital organs. Unfortunately, this is uncomfortable for most of those affected, and many do not take it seriously due to the lack of pain or itching.

However, since the disease begins weeks later to affect the entire body and, in the final stages, the brain, it should definitely be recognized and treated. Medically correct, syphilis is called syphilis, and in the past also the "French disease" - a rascal who thinks badly.

The classic sexually transmitted diseases also include ulcus molle (viral infection) and lymphogranuloma venereum (bacterial), which are also noticeable through swelling in the genital area. It used to be believed that these diseases could only be transmitted during sexual intercourse, which is why the term "sexually transmitted diseases" was coined. Today, other transmission routes, for example for syphilis, are known through blood products.

At the same time there are "newer" sexually transmitted infections such as HIV or hepatitis, which in turn do not fall within the field of the venereologist. On the other hand, genital herpes infections or papillomaviruses, which can cause cervical cancer, also fall into the field of venereology, although they are usually treated by gynecologists or general practitioners.

Diagnosis & examination methods

The "weapon" of the Venereologist is his eye and the microbiological smear: Many sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea or herpes infection can be easily identified on the basis of the clinical picture or (in the case of syphilis) the course. A swab from the urethra or ulcer can then be sent to microbiology and provides diagnostic certainty. In the case of later syphilis, various blood tests also play an important role. Apparative diagnostics does not actually take place.

These diseases are treated with medication without exception - local stages can be treated with ointments if necessary, later antibiotics often have to be used. In most cases, the partner must also be treated. Detection and therapy are also important in the case of pregnancy, since pathogens can also be transmitted to the newborn when they pass through the birth canal. A timely rehabilitation before the birth is therefore extremely important.

What should the patient pay attention to?

When choosing a doctor, as always when looking for a doctor, you should be guided by personal recommendations or your own experiences and, ultimately, by your feeling in dealing with the doctor. Those who already have a dermatologist are usually at the right address in the case of sexually transmitted diseases. The family doctor or gynecologist can also recommend a suitable specialist and treat many infections themselves.