Signs of hiv in men and aids symptoms

AIDS is recognized as the most dangerous disease of the twentieth century. It is this disease that until today is considered incurable. Unfortunately, scientists have not invented the right vaccine. And if practically all of these facts have been heard of, few people know the signs of HIV in men. And after all, they most often fall into the risk zone.

HIV and AIDS - what's the difference?

Many of us confuse these two concepts, believing that they are absolutely identical. Let's try together to figure out what the differences are. HIV is an infection that is viral in nature. Once in the body, the immunodeficiency virus does not always cause AIDS.

To eliminate the possibility of infection, a blood test should be taken, which can be used to detect the presence or absence of the corresponding antibodies. HIV infection at the initial stage is always latent. If you do not promptly identify the infection and do not start treatment, then the person is susceptible to AIDS. In some cases, a person may be a carrier of HIV infection for more than 10 years.

How to detect infection at the initial stage?

Perhaps, many are now interested in why it is representatives of the strong half of humanity who are at risk. First, this is due to the frequent change of sexual partner, and sometimes with promiscuous sexual relations without the use of contraception. Secondly, recently homosexuality is actively flourishing. Of course, sexual orientation is a personal matter for everyone, but it is exactly same-sex relationships that can cause HIV infection.

The first signs of HIV in men, unfortunately, have no specific manifestations. As medical practice shows, initially HIV passes through a latent stage, and only then passes into the active form of the development of the malady and, as a result, into AIDS. It is the primary signs of immunodeficiency virus infection that often resemble a common cold or flu.

After passing the infection period, after about three to four weeks, the person has the following symptoms:

• increase in body temperature to 38.5 °;
• weakness;
• loss of appetite and body weight.

During the incubation period, it will be possible to diagnose the presence of HIV infection only after a blood test. As you can see, the symptoms are very similar to the flu and rubella. That is why many men are in no hurry to see a venereologist after the onset of such symptoms.

If treatment has not begun at the primary stage, then HIV infection moves to the second stage of development - latent. Initially, at this stage, the symptoms practically do not appear, and the person may not even suspect that he is the carrier of the most dangerous virus.

Then the clinical picture begins to develop at lightning speed, and characteristic signs appear. At this stage, which is also considered one of the initial, along with the above symptoms, the following signs of HIV infection are observed in men:

• excessive sweating, especially during nighttime sleep;
• the appearance of pain in the throat;
• cough of varying intensity;
• diarrhea that lasts for one month continuously;
• unreasonable weight loss - up to about 10% of the total weight category;
• headaches of varying severity;
• drowsiness;
• pain syndromes, manifested in the articular tissues;
• muscle pain;
• an increase in the size of the lymph nodes;
• the appearance of a rash on the skin;
• inflammatory process in the esophagus.

Although the listed signs of HIV infection in men are considered specific, they can often be confused with other pathologies. So, for example, the appearance of pain in the throat and cough is associated with the development of acute respiratory disease, and a violation of the chair - with dysbiosis. Many representatives of the strong half of humanity do not pay enough attention to headaches. Often, they attribute this symptom to excessive mental and physical exertion.

A sure sign of the development of HIV infection is an increase in the size of the lymph nodes of two or more groups. If during the comprehensive examination the cause of the inflammation of the nodes was not identified, and they increased in size more than 3 months ago and are concentrated in different parts of the body, then a blood test should certainly be taken.

Another specific sign is the development of esophagitis. This disease is associated with inflammatory processes in the esophagus. A man may experience the following symptoms:

• pain when swallowing food;
• pain of varying intensity in the thoracic region from the back;
• difficulty swallowing food.

I would also like to draw attention to the fact that at the stage preceding AIDS, a person may have various pathologies, referred to as secondary in medical practice. These include:

• infections caused by herpes viruses;
• candidiasis;
• seborrheic dermatitis;
• leukoplakia of the tongue surface;
• nail plate lesion with fungal infections;
• unreasonable bleeding gums increased intensity;
• pharyngitis;
• otitis, etc.

This list of secondary pathologies is not exhaustive. In some cases, against the background of HIV infection, other serious illnesses can appear.

AIDS at gunpoint: how to recognize pathology?

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is considered the final stage of HIV infection. From the onset of the last stage to death, it takes no more than 36 months in the absence of treatment. During this period, the symptoms of the disease is very specific and does not require additional diagnosis. This is due to the fact that a person’s immunity is affected and no longer able to fight the immunodeficiency virus.

The first signs of AIDS in men are expressed in the development of comorbidities of the secondary type. These include:

• toxoplasmosis;
• sarcoma;
• lymphoma;
• cryptococcosis;
• tuberculosis, etc.

At the final stage of the development of the immunodeficiency virus, the nervous system is severely affected, and there is also a sharp deterioration in memory and a significant decrease in intellectual abilities. Often, during the period of the development of AIDS, a person develops fungal infections that are practically not treatable.

If we talk in general about the signs of AIDS, then they can be attributed to the symptoms of the previous stages. But the attending specialists in the practice for diagnosing the form of AIDS use a certain classification sign - characteristic symptoms.

Medicine knows several forms of this dangerous mortal pathology. Let's look at the symptoms of each of them:

• Pulmonary. Symptoms that manifest themselves in this form of AIDS are directly related to the organs of the respiratory system. A person suffers from pneumonia due to various pathogens. This form is characterized by the following signs - pain in the sternum and shortness of breath.
• Intestinal. Under the impact of the disease in this form enters the digestive tract. Food is not digested, and there is constant diarrhea.
• Neurological. HIV infection suppresses the nervous system. When diagnosing this form of AIDS in humans, serious pathologies can be identified - neoplasms in the brain, hemorrhages, meningitis. The characteristic symptoms are loss of speech ability, mental retardation, incontinence of defecation products and urine, paralysis.
• Renal. This form of AIDS is most common today. HIV infection affects the kidneys. Against this background, vision may deteriorate, appear sarcoma. Also, with the development of this form of AIDS, fungal infections, lichen-free tumors, and dermatological pathologies become pronounced.

All people suffering from this terrible disease, there is a common symptom - a rapid decrease in body weight.

As already mentioned, there is no panacea for AIDS today. This disease is very dangerous and can be fatal. To avoid infection with the immunodeficiency virus, one should carefully choose sexual partners, use contraceptives during sexual intercourse, maintain a healthy lifestyle and observe personal hygiene. Be healthy and take care of yourself!