Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are serious business. But if you’ve been told you have syphilis, there’s both good and bad news. First, the bad news: If you allow the disease to go untreated for several years, it can damage your heart, blood vessels, brain, and nervous system. Syphilis can cause blindness or paralysis. It increases your chances of getting and spreading HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Over time, it can damage your organs and even lead to death. And, of course, if you’re not treated, you’ll likely spread the STD to your sexual partner. The good news: It’s easily treated and curable in its early stages.

What Treatments Are Available for Syphilis? The recommended treatment at all stages of this disease is the antibiotic penicillin. If you’ve been infected for less than a year, you may need just one injection of penicillin to be cured. But you may need more doses if you’ve had syphilis for more than a year. There are no over-the-counter medications or home remedies that will cure syphilis -- only antibiotics can do that.

Will Syphilis Treatment Work If I’m Pregnant? Yes. If you’re expecting, it’s especially important to seek treatment because you could pass the disease on to your fetus or newborn. Again, your doctor will give you penicillin. If you’re allergic to it, your doctor will have you go through a special process to enable you to take the antibiotic. If you do spread the STD to your fetus or newborn, it can be very serious and lead to: Stillbirth (the baby is born dead)

Birth defects

Infant death

Cataracts

Deafness

Seizures