Hello and good afternoon.
Thank you for your question.

Based on your question, I understand that you are worried about your problem. I will try to help you.

For your information, treatment for Syphilis takes a long while, and an indication for effective treatment is when the TPPA titre decreases by at least 4 fold, e.g. initial titre at first testing was 1:64, then decrease to 1:16, or initial tire at first testing was 1:16, then decrease to 1:4. However, It is important to note that a decline in titre even with proper treatment can take a long time, from a few months to about 2 years. This four-fold decrease can happen as early as 3-6 months. Generally it can take up to a year in primary syphilis and 2 years for secondary syphilis.

To answer your specific questions:

1. It is always good to get a second opinion. It is standard medical practice among healthcare professional to get second opinions and you should not feel hesitant to do so.

2. VDRL titres are a measure of the body’s reaction and formation of antibodies towards syphilis and is used to screen patients for the disease as well as monitor patient’s treatment progress. Antibodies in your circulation are your body’s natural defence system and are formed to fight off foreign material such as bacteria and viruses. VDRL tests can become negative when a patient is completely cured, but this can also be negative in late stages of syphilis and patients may be required to perform other tests to monitor for possible neurosyphilis.

3. Cupping therapy is generally done to improve blood circulation and may provide relief for muscle pains. However, it does not remove syphilis antibodies or bacteria.

4. As mentioned previously, your VDRL titre should decrease by four-fold compared to your pre-treatment titres to indicate effective treatment.

Another thing to note is that any lab test should not be interpreted in isolation. Clinicians will take into account your actual clinical condition such as symptoms and a thorough physical examination to determine your status and the effectiveness and progression of treatment.

In order for us to provide you with an accurate choice of treatment and management, we need additional details to explore further into your current complaints. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to consult your doctor or get a second opinion for further management, going into detail about your previous diagnoses, investigation results and treatment done. You can also contact our doctors online for further information and treatment.

I hope this answer helps you. Thank you.

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