Early Signs Of HIV To Be Aware Of
For those infected with HIV, the signs and symptoms of having contracted this disease can surface in as little as two weeks, or take as long as three months. It is important to be aware of how the HIV infection can manifest itself early on. Early detection ensures proper diagnosis, and treatment can be promptly provided to slow the progression of AIDS so that the patient can live a full life. Many of the early symptoms associated with HIV are similar to symptoms of the flu. Keep reading for a comprehensive guide on the early warning signs of HIV.
Headaches
This symptom affects one in two people living with HIV, with more than one in four people experiencing chronic migraines. Headaches are most often caused by low CD4 T-cell counts but could also be a result of other issues such as infection, nervous system maladies and toxicity caused by medication. A physician should examine new or severe headaches. Most HIV sufferers indicate their headaches are not typical run-of-the-mill tension headaches. The quarter of patients who live with chronic migraines experience symptoms such as intense, pulsating and throbbing head pain and sensitivity to light as well as blurred vision for approximately fifteen days or more per month. Comparatively only two percent of people in the general population who do not suffer from HIV experience chronic migraines.
Fever
One of the most common symptoms of HIV is a fever, which is when body temperature is higher than normal. There are many reasons for an HIV-related fever including reactions to the disease, HIV medications, and other infections as a result of lowered immunity. Other symptoms can be present with a fever such as fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and night sweats. Several treatment options can be offered by doctors depending on the severity and cause of the fever. People with HIV can experience persistent or occasional fevers. A fever is the body’s normal response to a viral infection, so in the case of acute HIV infection, persistent fever is often a good sign that the body is still functioning as it should.
Fatigue
Out of many of the possible signs and symptoms of HIV, fatigue is the one that may seem the most subtle, yet it can have a profound effect on quality of life. Lack of energy keeps people from being social, active, and carrying out daily tasks. There are a number of ways to battle the fatigue and lethargy that often comes with HIV. It is important to understand the possible causes of HIV fatigue before taking steps to minimize its impact as fatigue may be directly related to the body fighting the virus itself. Immune systems are under attack by HIV, which invades T lymphocytes (also called T-cells) known for helping the body fight infection and disease. The virus then takes energy from T-cells to replicate itself. These microscopic events are manifested as fatigue of the whole body.
Swollen Lymph Nodes
Another early symptom of HIV is swollen lymph nodes. The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in the body’s immune system. Lymph, a clear fluid that circulates throughout the body is partly made up of white blood cells that fight bacteria. Lymph nodes are located throughout the body including in the neck, groin, and armpits. They are no more than two and a half centimeters long and are responsible for filtering lymph and producing immune cells. Lymph nodes protect both the body’s blood and immune system. Healthy lymph nodes are not visible, but once infected, they become swollen and may look and feel like hard bumps. As the HIV infection progresses, more lymph nodes may swell throughout the body. If swollen lymph nodes are experienced for more than two to four weeks, see a doctor.
A Sore Throat
People who are living with HIV may come down with a sore throat, both chronic or recurring. It is also not uncommon for people living with HIV to develop thrush, a secondary infection. Candida is a group of yeasts that live on the skin and mouth, that can cause thrush when unprotected by the immune system. The fungi is controlled by the immune system but when that is compromised, candida flourishes. It can be found in the mouth and throat making it difficult to swallow, but it can also grow on other parts of the body and mucous membranes. On the skin, candidiasis causes a painful, itchy rash, which can scale all over the body resulting in a yellowish-white discharge.
Rash
Another early symptom of HIV is a rash. However, like other symptoms of HIV, it is easily mistaken to be a symptom of another viral infection. Approximately ninety percent of people with HIV experience skin changes at some point with the disease. Rashes can develop due to conditions caused by HIV or as a side effect of taking HIV medications. Whether caused by the disease itself or medication, the rash typically appears as a red, flattened area on skin covered with red bumps. These rashes are itchy and can show up on all parts of the body including face, chest, hands, and feet. HIV rashes range from mild to life-threatening, causing serious damage to the skin. Make sure to get all rashes appropriately diagnosed.
Muscle And Joint Pain
Other common symptoms of HIV infection are chronic muscle and joint or body pain, as well as rheumatic disease. These symptoms can all be caused by the HIV, or by other viruses and bacteria. The chronic pain caused by muscle and joint aches could be due to the infection alone or the drugs that treat it. The inflammation caused by HIV and the medications gets into muscles and joints creating chronic, persistent pain throughout the body. Joint aches occur in forty-five percent of people living with HIV. While no apparent cause has been identified, patients can receive relief through nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Patients who suffered from arthritis prior to being infected with HIV may find their arthritis worsens in the presence of HIV.
Ulcers In The Mouth
Mouth sores are another common symptom of HIV. Approximately one-third of HIV sufferers will develop mouth sores due to a weak immune system. These sores are often recurring and greatly affect quality of life making it difficult to eat and take medication. One of the most common viruses that people obtain in the mouth is herpes simplex also known as oral herpes. They appear as red sores in the mouth and are often painful. Oral herpes is treatable with medication to stop new outbreaks. Avoid sharing foods since herpes is highly contagious. Mouth lesions known as ulcers and canker sores are also a common mouth sore that is highly painful. They tend to develop on the inside of the lips, cheeks, and tongue. There are over-the-counter creams and mouthwashes that can reduce inflammation.
Genital Ulcers
The presence of genital herpes could also be a sign of both early and late-stage HIV. Having herpes can also be a risk factor in terms of contracting HIV. Genital ulcers make it easier for HIV to enter the body during sexual intercourse. Due to a weakened immune system, people with HIV tend to have frequent and severe herpes outbreaks. One study showed that genital ulcer symptoms increased both during and after acquiring HIV. The study found that patients with newly acquired HIV infections were more likely to have pre-existing Herpes Simplex 2 virus (HSV-2). This virus is what causes genital ulcers. Those who had this pre-existing condition also had higher HIV viral-load levels than those who did not have the herpes virus.
Night Sweats
Night sweats are another common symptom during the early stages of HIV infection, with approximately half of all people suffering from this sign. Having night sweats are not related to exercise or on the temperature of the room. Night sweats result in sweating that soaks bedding and clothing while sleeping. They are not unlike the hot flashes menopausal women are commonly known to suffer. Night sweats can also be a side-effect of fever due to infection in the body, including the bacterial infection Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), a fungal infection called histoplasmosis or even tuberculosis (TB). HIV is not known to cause night sweats directly, but it is a highly correlated symptom of HIV-related illnesses.
Diarrhea
Having diarrhea is one of the most common complications of HIV. Poor nutrition can worsen diarrhea caused by the disease itself or medication. Some of the side effects of HIV medication can also be the cause of diarrhea. However, it is important to continue taking medication unless told differently by a doctor. Diarrhea during HIV can be severe. It can be present in combination with nausea or abdominal pain. Gastrointestinal (GI) problems are a common issue for people with HIV. Intestinal infections and bacterial overgrowth can cause HIV-related GI issues resulting in diarrhea. HIV itself may be a pathogen that causes diarrhea with an HIV patient who has had diarrhea more than a month being diagnosed with HIV enteropathy if no other cause is found.
Thrush
Just like a sore throat and mouth ulcers, an individual who has been infected with HIV may also develop thrush. Oral thrush occurs when a yeast infection develops on the inside of the mouth or on the tongue. Also known as oral candidiasis, the Candida albicans fungus is what ultimately causes thrush to develop. A tiny amount of the fungus normally lives in the mouth without causing any harm, however, when the fungus begins to grow uncontrollably, an infection can develop. Symptoms of oral thrush include creamy white bumps on the tongue, inner cheeks, gums, or tonsils, slight bleeding when the bumps are scraped, painful bumps, dry and cracked skin at the corners of the mouth, difficulty swallowing, and a bad taste in the mouth. Although common in toddlers and children, oral thrush can occur when the immune system is compromised, such as when an individual is infected with HIV.
The Stages Of HIV
There are three known stages of HIV, and depending on the stage the patient is in, their symptoms may vary. The first stage of HIV is known as acute or primary HIV infection, and it is also called acute retroviral syndrome. During this initial stage, many individuals experience flu-like symptoms, as the immune system is actively trying to fight off the virus within the first two to six weeks. The second stage of HIV is the clinical latency stage, where the virus becomes less active, though it is still living in the body. During the second stage, many patients experience little to no symptoms at all while the viral infection progresses at very low levels. During this stage, untreated HIV will be killing CD4 T-cells and destroying the immune system, and the more cells that are destroyed, the more vulnerable an individual is to other infections. This second phase can last a decade or longer.
The final phase of HIV is also commonly known as the AIDS stage. During this phase of the disease, the immune system becomes critically damaged and is highly susceptible to opportunistic infections due to the body’s CD4 T-cell number dropping below 200. Once the disease progresses into this stage, symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS becomes apparent. These symptoms include rapid weight loss, nausea, vomiting, fever, chronic fatigue, purplish spots on the skin, shortness of breath, yeast infections, bruises and bleeding that cannot be explained, cognitive impairment and many more.
Getting Tested
Getting tested for HIV is imperative for one’s health, especially if they are at risk or have exchanged bodily fluids with another human being. Even if an individual shows no signs and is not receiving treatment, they can easily transmit the virus to another person unknowingly. Fortunately, there are a number of treatments available today that can effectively eliminate the risk of transmitting the virus to another person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antiretroviral therapy can suppress the virus to an extent. When an HIV-positive patient is able to maintain an undetectable viral load, which is fewer than 200 copies of the virus per milliliter(mL) of blood, they cannot transmit the virus to others. Multiple studies have proven that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy correlates to a decreased risk of HIV and AIDS-related illnesses. However, delaying therapy until an individual’s CD4 count drops below 350 cells/mL is associated with more infections and a profound decrease in life expectancy.
Taking an HIV test is the only known way to determine whether an individual has the virus or not. The CDC recommends that everyone in the United States between the ages of thirteen and sixty-four should be tested at least once for HIV as a safety precaution. If detected, it is now recommended that HIV therapy begins at the time of diagnosis, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of illness and death by fifty-seven percent.
If you believe you are at risk or are concerned about HIV/AIDS, please visit a medical professional and get tested as soon as possible as you can save not only your life but countless others.