HIV AND AIDS
Knowing your HIV status early will help you to keep yourself and your partner healthy. The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. You cannot rely on symptoms to tell whether you have HIV. Early detection of HIV can help ensure prompt treatment to control the virus and prevent progression into stage 3 HIV. Most people develop detectable HIV antibodies within 23 to 90 days after infection. Stage 3 HIV is more commonly known as AIDS. Early treatment using antiretroviral drugs also makes the virus undetectable, which can prevent transmission to other people.
EARLY SYMPTOMS OF HIV
There are several symptoms of HIV. Not everyone will have the same symptoms. It depends on the person and what stage of the disease they are in. The early signs of HIV may appear as symptoms similar to those caused by the flu. Below are the three stages of HIV and some of the symptoms people may experience.
STAGE 1: ACUTE HIV INFECTION
Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, about two-thirds of people will have a flu-like illness. This is the bodys natural response to HIV infection. Some people may experience no early symptoms after they have contracted HIV. It is important to remember that these early HIV symptoms are also associated with common illnesses and health conditions. Do not assume you have HIV just because you have any of these symptoms But if you think you may have been exposed to HIV, Get Tested
Flu-like early symptoms of Hiv:
Fever , Headache
Chills
Tiredness
Rash
Night sweats
Muscle aches & Joint pain
Sore throat
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Swollen lymph
Mouth ulcers
Ulcers on the genitals Note: when you are in the early stage of infection, you are at very high risk of transmitting HIV to others.
STAGE 2: CLINICAL LATENCY
People in this stage may not feel sick or have any symptoms. This stage is also called chronic HIV infection. In this stage, the virus still multiplies, but at very low levels. Without HIV treatment, people can stay in this stage for 10 to 15 years, but some move through this stage faster.
STAGE 3: AIDS
If you have HIV and you are not on HIV treatment, eventually the virus will weaken your bodys immune system and you will progress to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). This is the late stage of HIV infection.
Symptoms of AIDS:
High Fever, Pneumonia
Rapid weight loss
Chills and Night sweats
Extreme and unexplained tiredness
Breathing problems and Persistent coughing
Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the Armpits, Groin, or Neck
White spots in the mouth
Memory loss, Depression, and other Neurologic Disorders
Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals
Disclaimer:- All information given here is purely for the knowledge / awareness among our website and other users and its available online on many other websites in different-different forms. Contact your health care provider for more information.