Archive for category HIV/AIDS
HIV Symptoms in Women
HIV/AIDS remains the leading cause of death among the developing and underdeveloped nations. It is a major issue of concern worldwide, as this disease has no cure. Although, men are more likely to contract this disease, the number of female patients is also substantial. African American women in the age group between 25 to 34 are the prime victims of HIV/AIDS. HIV symptoms in women are pretty much similar to those in men, however, women often report some additional symptoms. Let us see what are the symptoms of HIV or AIDS in women.
What are the HIV Symptoms in Women?
Earliest HIV symptoms in women include fever, tiredness, enlarged lymph nodes etc. These symptoms appear within a week of exposure to the HIV virus. The early symptoms of HIV infection are often mistaken for other symptoms of viral infections. After this stage, the viral goes in a dormant phase for 10 years or more. Although, there are no any peculiar symptoms in this phase, the virus continues to remain active inside the body and is capable of causing infection to others when transmitted. The more severe symptoms of HIV/AIDS in women start surfacing after 10 years or more. These symptoms are as follows:
Susceptibility to Infections
HIV/AIDS makes the woman extremely vulnerable to frequent yeast infections. The common symptoms of yeast infections are burning, itching and dryness of the vagina. The yeast infections make urinating or sexual act extremely painful. These yeast infections can be cured temporarily with the help of anti fungal creams, suppositories or certain medications. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is yet another infection that surfaces frequently in HIV infected women. This is a condition where there is an excess growth of bacteria in the vagina. This bacterial infection causes similar symptoms as in yeast infections. However, a discharge in the vagina may be present as well. An antibiotic treatment is sufficient to cure bacterial vaginosis. The treatment should be initiated without delay, if the woman is pregnant.
Susceptibility to Other STDs
HIV virus makes the woman susceptible to other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as well. Thus, the woman is likely to contract chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and the human papilloma virus (HPV). These diseases have their own set of individual symptoms, but generally include symptoms like nausea, fever, lower abdominal pain, lower back pain etc. Pain during intercourse and bleeding between menstrual cycle are some other symptoms of STDs. Interestingly, some STDs may not produce any of the above symptoms.
Susceptibility to Pelvic Diseases
Pelvic inflammatory disease which causes the inflammation of fallopian tubes, uterus and ovaries is a major disease that plagues the women suffering from HIV/AIDS. While there are no visible symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease, the disease continues to damage the internal organs. Read the rest of this entry »
HIV Symptoms in Men
AIDS or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV. When this virus enters the human body, it attacks the immune system, causing a series of infections, finally resulting in AIDS. AIDS is caused due to many reasons, the chief reason being unprotected sex with an infected person. AIDS can also be spread through blood transfusions, using infected needles and from the mother to the child during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. The initial HIV symptoms in men usually go unnoticed since they are very mild in nature. The body becomes prone to many contagious and infectious diseases, since an attack of the HIV completely destroys the immune system.
When the human immunodeficiency virus enters the body, it always attacks the lymph glands, to destroy the white blood cells or lymphocytes. The virus multiplies inside the lymph glands quickly, but the signs of the presence of the virus take time to surface. The symptoms of HIV in men may vary from person to person, where some individuals may show immediate signs, and in some individuals it may take time for the virus to spread. Usually the early HIV symptoms in men may be mistaken for cold and flu or any other viral infection. The stages of severity of HIV are branched according to the symptoms, like early or mild stage, moderate stage and severe stage. It has been observed that usually men display the early symptoms of the attack of this harmful virus. Let’s discuss about the HIV symptoms in men.
HIV Symptoms in Men: Initial Stages
In order to detect the presence of HIV, one may have to undergo a series of tests. Though the initial HIV symptoms of men are very mild and can go unnoticed as a normal illness. Fever is the first symptom that can be observed if an individual has been affected by HIV. This symptom usually occurs after two to four weeks of infection. The fever can be mild in nature (around 100 ºF) and dissipates after a week as cold or flu. Fever can be accompanied by headaches that can be mild or severe in nature. Rashes and certain skin irregularities that become apparent soon after the infection, are also one of the HIV symptoms in men. Rash, also known as a skin rash looks like a patch and is slightly darker than the surrounding area. In some cases, this rash is elevated and is itchy and has a burning sensation. Since the HIV attacks the lymph glands first, it may cause a swelling in the lymph glands that can be mistaken for another illness. Some men even experience a loss of energy and stamina leading to fatigue. They may even feel tired after work or any physical activity. Read the rest of this entry »