As young impressionable adults we are often faces with many problems that can often be avoided. We allow unwanted stress like drugs, smoking, and sex to take over. Such things often tend to cause larger problems. One problem that seems to overwhelm many is sex and the STD's that may follow. Many are familiar with some of the commonly talked about diseases such as AIDS and herpes. Often people don't know about diseases such as syphilis and chlamydia and the life threatening effects that they can cause. These diseases are very common among sexually active teens.
             Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to a variety of severe symptoms if left untreated. I know this to be true because a cousin of mine is experiencing the many complications that come with this disease. If left untreated, syphilis begins to form in three stages. In the first stage syphilis develops ten to three months after becoming infected. Small, red pimples begin to form. They soon become sores called chancre. The chancre is usually painless and may go unnoticed. They then disappear after six weeks.
             In the second stage, syphilis begins about a week to six months after chancre disappears. This stage is the rash stage. The rash may appear anywhere on the body, but is most commonly seen on the soles of the feet or the palms of the hands. The person may experience headaches, fevers, and hair loss. The symptoms may be mild and may again go unnoticed. Thy also disappear within several weeks.
             In the final stage the infection can only be seen through a blood test. If this disease still goes undetected and untreated then the syphilis can occur during anytime in the patients' life. In the final stage, the spirochete can attack the heart, brain, skin, bones, and spinal cord; it can also cause blindness, deafness, mental illness, heart failure, and bone deformities. My cousin is now in the final stages of this disease. S...