Men Greatly Affected by New HIV Infections
Early treatment is key to a long life, but some men experience no symptoms. Here are the signs to look for.
Symptom #1—Flu-Like Feeling
According to the Mayo Clinic, most people who are infected with HIV
will experience flu-like symptoms within two weeks to three months after
the infection. That means you may have a fever, or suffer one or more
of the following for a week or two:
-rash on the arms, legs, face, or belly
-sore throat
-swollen lymph glands
-mouth or genital ulcers
-bad headaches
-muscle aches and joint pain
-nausea and vomiting
-night sweats
Symptom #2—No Symptoms
HIV is tricky. In some people, it will create no symptoms of infection until the damage to the immune system has progressed. You may feel perfectly fine for months or years. Then, you may start suffering from a new infection or sickness that took hold because HIV weakened the immune system. This is why early testing—even when you feel fine—is so important.
Symptom #3—You Get Sick
Whether you have no symptoms after infection, or you suffer a flu-like episode, the virus will soon go into a “latency” phase. During this time, patients may have no symptoms until the immune system is sufficiently weakened or the disease has progressed to AIDS.
Common AIDS symptoms in men include:
-swollen lymph glands
-unusual lesions on the tongue; skin rashes and bumps
-nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
-cough and shortness of breath
-chronic fatigue
-fever, chills, and night sweats
-rapid weight loss
-blurred or distorted vision
-other symptoms of infection or disease
When in Doubt, Get Tested
If you notice any of the symptoms presented here, ask your doctor for an HIV test. It’s a simple blood test. You can even order a home HIV test kit online, using the FDA-approved OraQuick In-Home HIV Test, which doesn’t require you to send the sample to a lab. Simply test yourself and see results in 20 to 40 minutes.
A recent study indicates that for some people, early treatment can create a “functional cure,” allowing patients to live a healthy life without continued treatment.
-rash on the arms, legs, face, or belly
-sore throat
-swollen lymph glands
-mouth or genital ulcers
-bad headaches
-muscle aches and joint pain
-nausea and vomiting
-night sweats
Symptom #2—No Symptoms
HIV is tricky. In some people, it will create no symptoms of infection until the damage to the immune system has progressed. You may feel perfectly fine for months or years. Then, you may start suffering from a new infection or sickness that took hold because HIV weakened the immune system. This is why early testing—even when you feel fine—is so important.
Symptom #3—You Get Sick
Whether you have no symptoms after infection, or you suffer a flu-like episode, the virus will soon go into a “latency” phase. During this time, patients may have no symptoms until the immune system is sufficiently weakened or the disease has progressed to AIDS.
Common AIDS symptoms in men include:
-swollen lymph glands
-unusual lesions on the tongue; skin rashes and bumps
-nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
-cough and shortness of breath
-chronic fatigue
-fever, chills, and night sweats
-rapid weight loss
-blurred or distorted vision
-other symptoms of infection or disease
When in Doubt, Get Tested
If you notice any of the symptoms presented here, ask your doctor for an HIV test. It’s a simple blood test. You can even order a home HIV test kit online, using the FDA-approved OraQuick In-Home HIV Test, which doesn’t require you to send the sample to a lab. Simply test yourself and see results in 20 to 40 minutes.
A recent study indicates that for some people, early treatment can create a “functional cure,” allowing patients to live a healthy life without continued treatment.
