If You See These 13 Symptoms, Do An HIV Test Immediately.
jyotsana raoBE 
Experience: 4 yearsJyotsana Rao is an engineering graduate from NIT, Nagpur, who discovered her love for writing during her undergraduate days. She is passionate about writing about everything related to beauty - makeup... more
Image: Shutterstock
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that adversely affects the immunity of a person. It usually attacks and destroys the CD4 cells that protect our body from illnesses and boost immunity. When this happens, it can also lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) – the last stage of an HIV infection.
The symptoms of HIV can vary from person to person, and in a few cases, there are no symptoms at all. If not treated on time, your condition will worsen, and your immune system will be damaged. However, there are a few very common symptoms that indicate you need to visit your doctor as soon as possible.
1. Sore Throat
Since your body starts reacting to the infection caused by the virus, sore throat is one of the early symptoms you must not ignore. It is then followed by mouth ulcers or ulcer on the esophagus. In the later stages, the condition might worsen since it attacks the immune system. If you are suffering from chronic diseases, consult your doctor immediately.
2. Fever
If you develop fever just after having unprotected sex, rush to your doctor immediately. You might also experience symptoms of flu. This low-grade fever does not get cured even after taking medication.
3. Headache
Headaches turning into chronic migraines are also a very common symptom. If you’re suffering from migraine for 10-15 days continuously, it is definitely chronic migraine. According to research, around 50% of people who are infected with HIV experience headache whereas 28% of people suffer from chronic migraine.
4. Cough
A dry and persistent cough that usually doesn’t go away with antibiotics or medication is another early symptom of an HIV infection. Since HIV damages the immunity, cough can turn out to be a long-term symptom and may later also cause pneumonia.
5. Swelling Of Lymph Nodes
An abnormal swelling of the lymph nodes, especially in the neck, underarms, and groin region, can be an initial sign of infection caused due to HIV.
6. Body Pains
Many patients experience uncontrollable body pain, especially in the joints. These are usually triggered by the swelling in the lymph nodes. This leads to arthritis, sore muscles, vasculitis, and fibromyalgia.
7. Weight Loss
As the infection starts to spread, the symptoms of flu trigger diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. All of these lead to a drastic weight loss.
8. Night Sweats
This is one of the most scary symptoms of an HIV infection. You might be comfortable with the temperature of your room while going to bed. But, as the night passes, your body starts feeling very hot, and you become drenched in your own sweat.
9. Fatigue
This one is considered as the most under-reported symptom because many people fail to recognize it as a serious medical condition. Fatigue is experienced only in the earlier stages, and might not appear again until your condition is really serious.
10. Yeast Infection
As the infection starts spreading, the immune system is negatively affected. You often experience many infections, and one of them is a yeast infection, which is caused by a fungus called Candida.
11. Cold Sores
Caused due to the Herpes Simplex virus, cold sores can also be a symptom of HIV infection. They usually occur in the rectal, genital, and oral areas.
12. Rashes On Skin
Skin rashes that are caused due to HIV infection are called HIV rashes. This symptom is experienced by almost 85% of the patients. These rashes may later develop into blisters. Sometimes, they can also cause a lot of irritation.
13. No Symptom At All
Well, this is one of the most dangerous symptoms of an HIV infection. Most people fail to recognize any symptom. They continue to have unprotected sex and unknowingly spread the disease.
How To Know If You’re At Risk And Should Consider Taking A Test?
1. If you had unprotected sex.
2. If you shared injecting equipment.
3. If you think infected blood has got into your body in any way.
Thanks to technology, the modern HIV tests can detect HIV within 11 days of infection. So, if you think you have been exposed to HIV, it is better to get the test done immediately and prevent the infection from passing on to others.
We hope you found this information useful. If you have any doubts or queries, you can post them in the comments section below.
