Advanced Signs of the HIV Virus

Flu-like symptoms are associated with the first infection of the HIV virus.  They are commonly dismissed as being a severe cold or the flu.  Occasionally they may cause meningitis, which is the inflammation of the membranes covering the brain, of other flu symptoms that may suggest a hospital stay is necessary.  In the early years of AIDS research, scientists and researchers believed the HIV virus was quiet between the times of the infection and when AIDS is diagnosed.  That is not true.  The HIV virus is already destroying the cells that are the body’s first defense against many infectious diseases.

The progression of the disease causes the T-cell’s to drop below normal levels and allow infection.  The normal level of T-cells should be around 800 to 1200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood.  If the number drops a person may begin experiencing swollen lymph nodes, sores around the mouth, dandruff, or other skin problems.  Minor infections can plague a patient with less than the amount of T-cells that are needed. 

As the disease progresses, skin disorders and mouth sores get worse, and if the patient has herpes, their bouts of active herpes will begin to get more frequent and many people begin experiencing problems with shingles.  Diarrhea, fever, and fatigue can be found in patients where the disease is progressing.  With those signs, a person may have unexplained weight loss, joint and muscle pain, and tuberculosis may develop.  Tuberculosis is the most common infection related to AIDS in the world.  When the person has more decreases in CD4 cell counts, they develop the full AIDS disease.

A person with AIDS will develop an infection that causes pneumonia, diarrhea, meningitis, or an eye disease.  A person may develop a disease caused by a fungus that is native to the area of the country they live in.  Histoplasmosis and coccidiodomycosis are common in some parts of the country and an AIDS patient may easily develop these infections.

  Did You Know? 

The AIDS epidemic is a horrible disease but it has given us a silver lining. Scientists and researchers have a new awareness of how important the immune system is to our body. The public knows about the immune system and cares about the health of lymph nodes, vessels, and the rest of the system. Because there is a new awareness of the importance of the immune system, more research has been done on how to build it up so it can fight the advances of AIDS. People are aware of the danger of infectious diseases and are taking steps to stay healthier. They are eating healthier diets, exercising, and taking better care of their bodies. The medical community has focused on researching vaccines and cures but has failed to explore the possibilities of bolstering the immune system. The best defense we have against infection is our body. The tragedy of that fact is that most drugs have serious side effects and only prolong life for a few more months. Strengthening the body’s immune system is our best defense against opportunistic infections. One way to do that is to use homeopathy medicine. There is not one treatment or drug that will help every HIV infected person, but homeopathy is helping people with various stages of the disease. This is a different way of looking at the disease. Instead of fighting the pathogens that cause the disease through conventional drug treatment, doctors are looking at alternative and complimentary ways of treating patients with HIV or AIDS. Doctors in the Netherlands are supporting the use of homeopathic medicine in treating AIDS patients. Natural therapies, and alternative methods of treatment cannot only prolong the life of the AIDS patient, it can improve the overall quality of life they have. They do not provide a cure

Another sign of developing AIDS is if a tumor would develop or the patient is diagnosed with one of several forms of cancer.  Cervical cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma and some types of nonHodgkin’s lymphoma may signal the onset of the AIDS disease.  Brain problems may develop including AIDS induced dementia.  The body may begin to waste away and the lungs can develop pulmonary lymphoid hyperplasia or lymphoid interstitial pneumonia.  The latter two diseases are generally found in children who have developed AIDS.

If you have been tested and found to be HIV positive, any of the symptoms mentioned should cause you to seek medical attention.  If you don’t know if you are HIV positive, but do know you could be at risk because of your sexual activity or drug use, it is best to see a doctor at the first sign of any of the signs or symptoms.  Diagnosing the disease early may prolong your life and give you a better quality of life while fighting this disease.

Important Information in AIDS and HIV Issues