Information about Aids - The Symptoms of HIV Infection

The Symptoms of HIV Infection

You may not develop any symptoms of HIV infection for more than ten years. This fact is scary when you consider the sexual history of your partners. Some will develop flu-like symptoms immediately after exposure to the infection. These include headache, tiredness, enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck, and a fever. These will disappear within a few weeks. You may not develop any added signs of HIV or AIDS for many years. Scientists are studying reasons some patients develop AIDS faster than other patients who have been exposed. There are still no clear answers to that question.

During the time between infection and showing symptoms you may not feel bad, have any signs of the disease, but you can still infect others. During the time you may not have symptoms, the virus will continue to multiply and kill the cells of the body’s immune system. That immune system is vital in helping our body fight off virus and bacterial infections. The primary cells for infection fighting are the CD4+ or T4 cells.

For those with their immune cells being attacked may begin to feel some minor symptoms that can be passed off as flu, or many other kinds of physical problems. The patient who is harboring the HIV virus may start feeling tired and complain of having little or no energy. They may have unexplained weight loss even though they are eating healthy diets and are not trying to lose weight. The patient may experience excessive sweating and frequent episodes of fever.

More symptoms of the HIV virus include persistent yeast infections in women. This can easily be passed over as a symptom because yeast infections are frequent and can be caused by many other problems. Antibiotics can cause yeast infections, it can be passed back and forth between sex partners, and can easily be caused by use of some personal hygiene products. No wonder it is easy to miss this important symptom!

Did You Know?

The signs of symptoms of AIDS or HIV are different depending on what stage the infection is in. When a person is first infected they may have flu-like symptoms and swollen lymph nodes but recover quickly.

This flu-like sickness may occur two to six weeks after being infected and is not always associated with the possibility of HIV infection. Even if you do not have any of these symptoms until years later, you can still infect other people with the virus.

Once your body is invaded with the HIV or AIDS virus, your immune system is under attack. Even though you may not be having any symptoms, you can still pass the disease on to another person.

Meanwhile, even if you are symptom free, your cells that coordinate your immune system are slowly being destroyed.

You can remain this way for as many as ten years but during that time you will begin it experience more frequent infections as your immune cells are destroyed.

You may experience chronic symptoms such as diarrhea, weight loss, shortness of breath, cough, fever, and unexplained weight loss.

Skin problems or frequent rashes can also be dismissed as routine skin problems, but they are a symptom of the HIV and AIDS disease. Dry flaky skin is also a problem that many people experience but often do not associate with AIDS. Skin rashes that are persistent and are hard to get rid of can be a symptom of AIDS or caused by weather conditions or many other medical problems. Short-term memory loss and herpes sores on the mouth, genital, or anus can also be a symptom that should be looked at by a doctor.

AIDS is an advanced stage of the HIV infection. There are more than 26 conditions that are common to patients who have HIV that rarely happen in healthy people. Most of these are conditions caused by parasites, fungus, bacteria, virus, and other organisms.

AIDS Facts

Aids and HIV is currently infecting more heterosexuals than homosexuals because the gay community has become far more aware of safer sex practices.

Practice safer sex if you have more than one sexual partner or if you are in a new relationship.

Get yourself tested regularly.

The early symptoms of AIDS may include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and difficult or painful swallowing. They may also include seizures and a total lack of coordination in the body. If you have had unprotected sex or shared needles or syringes during drug use, you may be a potential AIDS victim. You should have an HIV test. The earlier your disease is detected, the more the disease can be controlled and slowed.

Better Your Health

HIV and AIDS Information and Resources

◦ World Health Organization’s AIDS Staging
◦ History of AIDS Looking Closer at the HIV Virus and AIDS
◦ Living With HIV and AIDS
◦ Know the Basics about AIDS
◦ What are the Causes of AIDS
◦ Homeopathic Ways of Treating the AIDS Patient
◦ AIDS and the Nervous System
◦ Options If You Are HIV Positive
◦ The AIDS Patient and Opportunistic Infections
◦ Advanced Signs of the HIV Virus
◦ Tests For the HIV Virus
◦ Other Health Concerns For The AIDS Patient
◦ Prayer And Spirituality Used In The Treatment Of AIDS
◦ How To Prepare For Your AIDS Medical Appointment
◦ Aids and Viral Complications
◦ Parasitic Infections Common to HIV Patients
◦ AIDS Related Lymphoma
◦ Treating AIDS Related Lymphoma
◦ Serious Complications Associated With The HIV Virus
◦ White Blood Cells And AIDS
◦ Neurological Complications Associated with AIDS
◦ What To Do If You Think You Might Have Aids
◦ New Developments In AIDS Research
◦ Coping With Your AIDS Diagnosis
◦ The Symptoms of HIV Infection
◦ Education Is The Key To Stopping the AIDS Epidemic
◦ The Emphasis Must Be On Prevention for HIV and AIDS
◦ AIDS Medical Terms
◦ Take An Active Role In Your AIDS Medical Treatment
◦ Reducing The HIV Risk Factors
◦ Keeping A Positive Outlook For AIDS Patients
◦ Acupuncture To Relieve The Side Effects Of AIDS Treatment
◦ A Healthy Lifestyle Can Help You Treat AIDS
◦ AIDS Patients Are In It For Life
◦ Basic AIDS Information
◦ Do You Need To Let Everyone Know That You Are HIV Positive
◦ Important Vitamins and Minerals for a Person with HIV
◦ Treatments Available for the Patient with HIV or AIDS
◦ Ways You Cannot Get The HIV Virus
◦ Treatments Available for the HIV Positive Woman
◦ Understanding the Basics of HIV
◦ The United States AIDS Policy
◦ Treatment Guidelines for the AIDS Patient
◦ Treating Serious Illnesses in The AIDS Patient
◦ HIV Transmission
◦ How The HIV Virus Progresses
◦ The Fear the AIDS Stigma Brings
◦ I Tested Positive For the HIV Virus: What Now
◦ How To Tell Other People You Are HIV Positive
◦ Facts And Myths Regarding HIV Transmission
◦ Some Recent Advances In The Fight Against AIDS
◦ Preventive Measures You Can Take Concerning HIV Infection
◦ Dates In AIDS History
◦ The Impact of AIDS On MSM, Men Who Have Sex With Men
◦ Dealing With Malnutrition For The HIV Infected Person
◦ Know Your Personal HIV Risk Factors
◦ Keeping Yourself AIDS Free
◦ Are Condoms Effective As Protection Against AIDS Transmission
◦ Juicings Possible Benefits To The Person With HIV
◦ What Are The Initial Signs and Symptoms of HIV Infections
◦ AIDS Faqs
◦ Five Classes of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating AIDS
◦ Dietary Needs And The HIV Patient
◦ Misconceptions About AIDS
◦ Oh No I have AIDS
◦ The Staggering AIDS Statistics
◦ Exercise May Boost Your Imune System
◦ Aids And The Toll On Families
◦ Immunization Needs For Adult AIDS Patients
◦ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: The Basic Facts
◦ Is There A Silver Lining in The Cloud of AIDS

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