Night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, unexplained rash, oral thrush and sudden weight loss are possible signs of HIV. If you are having a sexually transmitted infection or STI, then it denotes greater risk of getting an HIV. Read on to know what the experts want to say about how to detect early signs of HIV and explain how the symptoms change with the development of an infection.
Early signs of HIV are the following:
· Sore lymph nodes
· Nausea
· Headache
· Fever
· Fatigue
· Aches and pains
· Unusual rashes
· Mouth ulcers or oral yeast infection
First Sign of HIV
Both men and women have similar symptoms of HIV during the primary or acute infection. These symptoms general take place 2-6 weeks after the infection:
· Unusual rashes
· Headache
· Sore throat
· Nausea
· Sore lymph nodes
· Fever
· Mouth ulcers
· Aches and pains
· Fatigue
· Night sweats
· Yeast infection in the mouth
Early symptoms of HIV in men
Symptoms change for men at the later stages of this infection due to weak immune system. Some of them include:
· Ulcers on your penis
· Erectile dysfunction
· General pain around the testicles or penis
· Pain at the time of ejaculation
· Proctitis or inflammation of rectum
· Reduced body or facial hair
· Prostatitis or swelling of the prostate
· Pain whilst urinating
Early symptoms of HIV in women
As HIV weakens the immune system, women may experience some of the following symptoms:
· Changes in the period
· Increased number of yeast infections
· Abdominal pain
· Pain at the time of intercourse
· Pelvic inflammatory disease
· Unusual thick and white discharge
· Pain during urination
Different stages of HIV
The stages of HIV include the following:
Stage 1 (acute HIV): A person might experience flu-like symptoms. During this point, high amount of HIV is there in the blood and it is easy for a person to spread it to others. This stage can last from a few weeks to a few months.
Stage 2 (chronic HIV): Individuals consider this as clinical latency stage. This kind of virus will be there though it reproduces at lower rates in their body. Now, a person may not display the symptoms during this stage. But they should receive treatment to prevent further progressing to stage 3.
Stage 3 (stage 3 HIV): Doctors usually refer this stage as AIDS though people call it stage 3 HIV. If an individual does not get HIV treatment, the virus will weaken immune system of the body and progresses to stage 3 HIV. At this stage, you may be more vulnerable to o infections and further complications. Without undergoing any treatment, people in this stage generally remain for almost 3 years.
An individual who obtain antiretroviral treatment for HIV during stage 2 may be there in this phase and the disease may not progress to stage 3 HIV. Due to this reason, they are less likely to suffer from serious complications. Besides, an individual who obtains the treatment during the earlier stages may have decreased HIV viral load. If the viral load seem to be undetectable in private HIV test, it will not spread to others.
How to treat HIV
The treatment for HIV allows people with this virus to live longer and healthier lives. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the most common treatment for HIV which involves taking necessary medication for HIV to suppress this virus and prevent it from progressing further.
It is important to begin with HIV medication and treatment quickly after having a diagnosis of HIV. Early treatment may help people with HIV to live long than the ones who do not have this kind of virus.
Is it possible for HIV symptoms to appear in 3 days?
Early symptoms of HIV can appear within 3 days after the initial infection. There are flu-like symptoms which generally last for 1-2 weeks before they may subside down.
Can you get HIV without knowing about it?
Yes, you can have HIV without even knowing about it. People usually confuse initial symptoms of the infection such as aches, night sweats and fever with common cold. These symptoms generally pass after 1-2 weeks and the infection may not be there with other symptoms for almost 10 years. It is important to get comprehensive STD check-up in every few months.
Is phlegm a sign of HIV?
Early HIV infection often shows flu-like symptoms like fever, cough or shortness of breath. These symptoms may cause to cough phlegm which is either green or yellow in colour.
Is ringworm a sign of HIV?
No, ringworm is not a sign of HIV infection. But having the presence of HIV in your body can make you highly susceptible to various diseases and infections due to weak immune system.
Is weight gain lead to HIV?
No, HIV does not cause weight gain directly. Antiretroviral treatment or ART can lead to gain in weight around your midsection due to its side effects. Weight gain for ART seem to be very common in women than it can be in men.
Is it possible to confuse with another STD?
As HIV denotes flu-like symptoms in the early stages, it is confused with the other infections. Now, if you use an inappropriate STD test, you risk yourself for a false-positive test.
How long does it take to denote HIV symptoms?
Doctors usually call the first stage of HIV to be an acute HIV infection. In the first few weeks after getting the infection, people have large amount of HIV in their blood and can transmit to others easily.
The first symptoms of HIV might develop within 2–4 weeks after the infection but it can take up to 10 months. Flu-like symptoms appear during the acute stage of HIV, also called acute retroviral syndrome. Certain symptoms a person might experience in this early stage, from most to frequent are:
· sore throat
· fatigue
· joint pain
· night sweats
· muscle pain
· diarrhea
· headaches
· swollen lymph nodes
· skin rashes
Symptoms might last for a few days to several weeks but everyone with HIV will not experience them. Having these symptoms does not mean a person has HIV. These symptoms may occur with other infections including the flu. The only way a person will know for sure if they have HIV is by conducting an HIV test.
You may visit a sexual health clinic in London to test for HIV and know whether you have the symptoms.
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