HIV is the immune deficiency virus that can eventually progress into the fatal condition known as AIDS. Many of the symptoms associated with the late stages of HIV are commonly mistaken as the signs of AIDS, but the chances are high that symptoms of the later stages of HIV will develop into AIDS over time.
Identification
Symptoms of HIV are different than the symptoms that indicate that HIV has progressed to the more serious condition of AIDS. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is estimated that more than 39 million people worldwide have contracted HIV, but a person can live for an undetermined period of time before HIV progresses to AIDS. HIV systematically destroys the cells that make up the body's immune system, making the body unable to fight off disease.
Early Stages
The early stages of HIV rarely presents any clear symptoms. In fact, some people can go months before they show any symptoms at all. In the early stages of HIV, the symptoms are similar to symptoms of a flu. These symptoms usually occur two to four weeks after HIV has been contracted and they include a fever, a headache, and a sore throat.
Some of the early symptoms of HIV, however, are more prominent than simple flu symptoms. These signs include nausea, diarrhea, an enlarged liver and a rash that temporarily appears on the face or on the abdomen.
Later Stages
As HIV progresses and kills more of the body's immune cells, there will be more visible and painful symptoms that will start to appear. These include sores that begin to appear on the mouth or genital area, a lack of energy, a painful inflammation in the pelvic area that does not respond to any treatments, a skin rash that could cause the skin to being to flake away and severe weight loss.
Shingles
One of the more painful pre-AIDS symptoms of HIV is a nerve condition known as shingles. Shingles is a condition where the nerves closest to the skin are irritated and cause a surface rash or blisters. The pain radiates from the area of the rash, and can sometimes cause pain on the other side of the body. Shingles are most commonly found in the chest, and they can bring pain to the upper back as well.
Lymph Glands
Later stages of HIV might also include the appearance of swollen lymph glands. These are normally found at the base of the neck, and the swollen area can be seen by the naked eye. In most cases, swollen lymph nodes are painful to the touch, and if they are located at the base of the neck, they can create pain while swallowing as well.
Tags: base neck, body immune, condition known, early stages, rash that, swollen lymph, symptoms that