Aids Symptoms - Expert Advice

Aids, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is caused by the HIV virus or Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV harms the human immune system in addition to the central nervous system leaving the individual susceptible to and in danger of infections.

In the initial phases when the HIV virus is present it's not likely for the individual afflicted to exhibit any specific aids symptoms and as a consequence during this period the only way to detect whether the virus is present is by undertaking an HIV examination. It is however possible for the individual to demonstrate some symptoms a few weeks after the virus gets into the system, including: a flu-like condition, elevated temperature (pyrexia), headache, enlarged lymph nodes, sore throat (pharyngitis) and red spots or a rash on the skin.

The second stage of HIV infection is called the asymptomatic phase and is characterized by a substantial amount of the virus being contained in the blood of the individual infected. At this stage the immune system will respond by creating antibodies and this stage of the infection may go on unnoticed in the body for up to 10-12 years. It is at this point that the HIV virus can develop into Aids if no treatment is attempted. The person infected may also start to show even more Aids symptoms, such as: loss of appetite, night sweats, significant weight loss, mouth ulcers and chronic coughing.

The moment HIV advances into Aids the person's life is seriously at risk by even the most easy to treat, common infections. If the person has been identified as having Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome the individual is now all the more at the mercy of life threatening infections. Aids symptoms exhibited include pneumonia, tuberculosis, herpes, candidosis, toxoplasmosis and other viral conditions. Yet another consequence of this phase is higher susceptibility to cancer tumors, most commonly Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Aids symptoms may not be the same for all as various organs such as the lungs, intestine or nervous system might be impacted. When the central nervous system is affected the person is at risk of dementia on account of cortical atrophy of the brain.

Injury to the central nervous system may appear even after 20 years following the initial HIV infection as can meningitis and brain blood vessel problems. The individual may also suffer from Aids symptoms such as chronic headaches and vision deterioration, muscle weakness, short-term memory loss and other psychics disorders.


If the infection is discovered early enough, eg in the asymptomatic stage the individual may be medicated so as not to cultivate perilous Aids symptoms. A HIV test can be carried out to determine the stage of the infection and addressed depending on the stage. HIV medications work by curbing the reproduction of the virus and slowing down the progression of diseases caused by it.

It is essential to note that therapy will in no way cure the infection and any afflicted person can still transmit the virus. Often Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) may be prescribed, called the "cocktail" which combines three or more anti-HIV drugs taken in a daily routine. With this therapy Aids symptoms can be held to a minimum. Today, research to develop medicines for the treatment of AIDS and HIV continues to be ongoing with many longing for newer and better therapies.