Syphilis: Home Treatment

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Home Treatment

It is critical that you seek professional health care treatment of syphilis. It is not appropriate to try to treat syphilis on your own. Syphilis must be accurately diagnosed and treated with medicines, such as antibiotics, that can only be prescribed by a health professional.

After you are diagnosed and prescribed medicine to treat syphilis, self-care can help you manage symptoms and effectively prevent reinfection with syphilis or another sexually transmitted disease (STD).

• Practicing safe sex to prevent STDs. Limit your sex partners, know whether your partner engages in risky sexual behaviors, and use a condom during sex.
• How to use condoms. Check the expiration date of the condom before using it, put the condom on the erect penis before intercourse begins, and remove the condom by pressing on the bottom of the condom (by the hairline) and pulling out while the penis is still hard.
• Buying and storing condoms. Buy condoms made in the United States where strict safety standards must be met. Keep the condom in the wrapper until you are ready to use it, and be sure to check the expiration date before using it.
• Extra protection for women. The female condom is a tube of soft plastic with a closed end and can be inserted up to 8 hours before sexual intercourse. It cannot be used at the same time as a male condom.

Last updated:	October 02, 2007
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH - Infectious Disease
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC