World AIDS Day is observed every year on the 1st of December to spread awareness regarding AIDS short for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, a life-threatening condition. It is important to know about the early signs and symptoms of AIDS so the condition can be managed in a timely way. Keep reading to know about them!
Table of Contents
What is AIDS?
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the 3rd and most severe stage of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). HIV is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus.
HIV can be caused by coming into contact with infected semen, blood, or vaginal fluids. It is commonly transmitted through the use of drug needles or having unprotected sex with a person having HIV.
AIDS is characterized by an extremely weak immune system and as a result, people affected with AIDS are susceptible to a host of illnesses called opportunistic infections (OIs). These include:
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Pneumonia
- Wasting syndrome or unwanted weight loss
- Cervical cancer (in women)
- AIDS-Related Lymphoma.
In 2020 alone, AIDS claimed around 680,000 lives worldwide! If someone is affected with HIV, it is imperative that he/she gets treatment for it so that the HIV infection doesn’t progress to the later stages. So you must be aware of the early symptoms of HIV.
7 Early Symptoms of HIV
Following are the 7 early symptoms of HIV:
- Headaches
- A red rash
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
7 Symptoms of AIDS – 3rd Stage of HIV
Ignoring the illness will weaken the person’s immune system and hence the infection will progress to the 3rd stage, i.e, AIDS. The symptoms of AIDS include:
- Tiredeness
- Night sweats
- Unexplained weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Long lasting fever
- Unexplained bruises or bleeding
- Shortness of breath
Conclusion
If you notice any HIV/AIDS symptoms consult your doctor immediately to get an HIV test. You can use oladoc to book your appointments with the best internal medicine specialists in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and other cities without any extra charges.
