GO FOR HIV TESTING IMMEDIATELY IF YOU NOTICE THESE SYMPTOMS

Many people do not realize they have the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection. Usually, the symptom is difficult to identify. The majority of HIV-positive individuals don’t exhibit any symptoms until they are older or until their infection has advanced to the point where they are at risk of acquiring AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

What signs are present?

Some people may develop symptoms that resemble the flu, such as fever, headaches, nausea, and neck pains. Within 1 to 5 weeks of the virus’s transmission (via sex, blood transfusions, or needle aspiration), a person with this highly contagious illness will manifest the symptoms listed above. The HIV-positive person will recover from this highly contagious sickness and resume their usual, symptom-free lifestyle. Unaware of his or her infection, the afflicted individual would go through life as if nothing were wrong. 

This process, known as the “Asymptomatic Phase,” sees the HIV virus continue to multiply within the body. In other words, the body is continually coping with HIV even when there are no symptoms.

How do HIV and AIDS spread?

When the immune system is compromised, the body is less able to fight against infections. Skin, lungs, stomach, and other body parts may become infected. These diseases do not exist in healthy persons because their immune systems are able to fight them off. These infections are not communicable, however, as HIV’s immune system is already impaired, resulting in AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). HIV/AIDS does not immediately produce symptoms; instead, it causes infections that ultimately cause mortality in HIV/AIDS patients by killing their bodies. These infections include infections of the skin, the brain, and other organs as well as fungi and uncommon bacteria.

HIV/AIDS can potentially result in tumors or malignancies because it affects the immune system. These cancers include lymphoma, colon cancer, and Kaposi’s sarcoma, an aggressive cancer that develops on the skin or in the mouth. 

People with HIV/AIDS may experience depression since the disease is stigmatized, despite the fact that such illnesses shouldn’t be treated. It could also be a consequence of different infections that affect people with HIV/AIDS.

Even if you experience all of these symptoms, there’s no need to give up because there are medications that can help you control your HIV/AIDS symptoms. Visit your neighborhood clinic or hospital for an HIV test if you’re unsure of your HIV status.