You cannot depend on symptoms to ensure you have HIV, say doctors. Undergoing a test is the sole way to make sure you have HIV. The virus can stay dormant in your body for decades before it surfaces again. The virus can severely compromise your immune system so that you become vulnerable to catching opportunistic infections.
Whether you experience HIV symptom in Arlington, VA, or not, if you have had unprotected sex anytime in life, you must undergo a test. When does the earliest symptom arise? According to doctors, early symptoms surface within a month or two of exposure. In some cases, they can be seen within a couple of weeks of exposure. Yet, do not rely on the arrival of symptoms, warn doctors. Some people never get them and they carry the virus. HIV symptoms are similar to common illnesses. You hardly realize these are HIV symptoms. You may simply visit a doctor and take medication. You get well. However, the virus is still thriving in your body. That’s why HIV test is important. Do you know you can stay asymptomatic for 10 years and more after contracting HIV? This does not indicate that you would never fall sick, inform doctors. HIV can progress to stage three without symptoms. “At this stage, it can make you very sick,” cautions a doctor at a reputable STD clinic in Arlington, VA. Early signs of HIV • Fever • Headache • Sore throat • Muscle and joint pain • Rash • Thrush • Swollen lymph nodes • Night sweats • Ulcers in the mouth and on the genitals • Diarrhea Some of the above signs also seem to be associated with the flu and the novel Coronavirus. So, it’s important you talk to the doctor about the signs and act accordingly. Stages of HIV 1. First stage The first stage is called primary or acute HIV infection. Doctors also call it “acute retroviral syndrome.” In this stage, the patient generally gets flu-like symptoms. They may also look like gastrointestinal infection or some respiratory infection. In today’s times, if you get flu-like symptoms, your doctor may also advise you to undergo Covid-19 test to rule out the possibility of this virus. If you test negative for Covid-19 and have had unprotected sex in the recent past, you must undergo HIV test, suggests a doctor from the Arlington STD clinic. 2. Second stage The second stage is clinical latency stage. In this stage, the virus becomes latent or inactive in the body; but it’s still there. You experience no symptom in this stage. You may think you are absolutely fine. However, the virus is slowly and silently progressing in your body. The latency stage can last upto 10 years or more. 3. Third stage In this stage, your immune system is severely compromised. You are highly vulnerable to all kinds of infections. You may get symptoms related to these infections. Symptoms of stage 3 HIV • High fever • Rashes • Chills • Night sweats • Nausea • Vomiting • Persistent fatigue • Massive weight loss • Persistent cough • Breathing problems • White spots in mouth • Memory problems • Genital sores • Pneumonia Treatment of HIV As per CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), one of the most effective treatments for HIV is antiretroviral therapy (ART). This therapy suppresses the virus. ART is not a cure for HIV. In fact, there is no cure for HIV so far. ART can help you manage HIV by keeping the viral load at a minimum so that you live a good life and do not infect others. According to CDC, when the viral load is less than 200 copies per ml (milliliter of blood), you cannot infect others. Doctor’s tip: The best thing to do in Arlington early signs of HIV in women and men arise is to undergo a test.
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