This prevents pneumocystis pneumonia, which happens in people with weakened immune systems. Treatment has improved greatly for people with HIV. By taking medicines and getting regular medical care, HIV-positive people can live long and healthy lives.
Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is HIV? Most people who are diagnosed early and take medicines for HIV can live long, healthy lives. This can happen: during sex especially anal sex and vaginal sex through sharing needles for injecting drugs or tattooing by getting stuck with a needle with an infected person's blood on it HIV also can pass from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
When first infected with HIV, a person may have: fever swollen glands painful ulcers in the mouth or around the anus or penis headache rash muscle and joint pain These symptoms go away in a few weeks.
HIV damages the immune system. Without treatment, AIDS can develop. A circumcised penis vs uncircumcised may help prevent HIV transmission for some; however, for MSM condoms or other barrier methods are highly….
Learn what they measure and how they affect HIV treatment…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M. What are HIV-related opportunistic infections? Staying healthy with HIV. Fibromyalgia Causes. Read this next. HIV testing and counseling. Oxford University Press; AIDS and opportunistic infections. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pollack TM, et al. Primary care of the HIV-infected adult. John's Wort. Natural Medicines.
HIV Basics. HIV treatment as prevention. Human immunodeficiency virus HIV infection: Wasting syndrome. Mayo Clinic; Mahmood M expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. Who should get tested? Accessed Oct. Human immunodeficiency virus HIV infection: Antiretroviral therapy.
Human immunodeficiency virus HIV infection: Risk factors. Infectious disease specialists. Nurse practitioners. Physician assistants PAs. Complications of HIV may require treatment by the following doctors: Cardiologist Dermatologist Gastroenterologist Infectious disease specialist Nephrologist Oncologist Ophthalmologist Orthopedist Pulmonologist If you don't have a doctor Public health clinics and other organizations may provide free or low-cost, confidential testing and counseling about HIV and high-risk behavior.
Exams and Tests Early detection The U. For all pregnant women. For people younger than 15 and older than 65 if they have a high risk for HIV, such as for people who engage in high-risk behavior. You and your doctor can decide if testing is right for you. Fear of being tested Some people are afraid to be tested for HIV.
This will give you an opportunity to: Discuss your fears about being tested. Learn how to reduce your risk of becoming infected if your test is negative.
Learn how to keep from spreading HIV to others if your test is positive. Think about personal issues, such as how having HIV will affect you socially, emotionally, professionally, and financially. Learn what you need to do to stay healthy as long as possible. Until you know the results of your test: Avoid sexual contact with others.
If you do have sex, practice safer sex. Do not share needles, syringes, cookers, cotton, cocaine spoons, or eyedroppers. If the results from a home test kit show that you have an HIV infection, talk with a doctor. Testing positive for HIV If you test positive, your doctor will complete a medical history and physical exam. He or she may order several lab tests to check your overall health, including: A complete blood count CBC , to identify the numbers and types of cells in your blood.
A chemistry screen , to measure the blood levels of certain substances such as electrolytes and glucose and to see how well your liver and kidneys are working. You may be tested for: Syphilis. Hepatitis A , hepatitis B , and hepatitis C. Tuberculosis TB.
Viral load measures the amount of HIV in your blood. Testing for drug resistance HIV often changes or mutates in the body. You also may be tested for drug resistance when: You are ready to begin treatment.
You've been having treatment and your viral load numbers stop going down. You've been having treatment and your viral load numbers become detectable after not being detectable. How is AIDS diagnosed?
A certain kind of infection called an opportunistic infection that is common in people who have weakened immune systems, such as Kaposi's sarcoma or Pneumocystis pneumonia. Treatment Overview The most effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy ART , a combination of several medicines that aims to control the amount of virus in your body.
Other steps you can take include the following: Keep your immune system strong by eating right, quitting smoking, and learning how to avoid infection. For more information, see Home Treatment. For more information, see Exams and Tests. See a counselor to help you handle the strong emotions and stress that can follow an HIV diagnosis. For more information, see Other Treatment. Reduce stress so that you can better manage the HIV illness.
Starting treatment Medical experts recommend that people begin treatment for HIV as soon as they know that they are infected. Learn more about HIV to actively share in health care decisions. Join a support groupto share information and emotions relating to HIV.
Use condoms whenever you have sex. Learn how to handle food safely so you don't get a food-borne infection. If your partner has HIV: Provide emotional support. Don't be afraid to discuss the disease. Often people with HIV need to talk. Protect yourself against HIV infection and other infections by not sharing needles or having unprotected sex.
Protect your partner with HIV from other infections by staying away from him or her when you are sick. Prevention Safer sex Practice safer sex. Alcohol and drugs If you use alcohol or drugs, be very careful. If you already have HIV If you are infected with HIV, you can greatly lower the risk of spreading the infection to your sex partner by starting treatment when your immune system is still healthy.
Take antiretroviral medicines. Tell your sex partner or partners about your behavior and whether you are HIV-positive. Follow safer sex practices, such as using condoms. Do not donate blood, plasma, semen, body organs, or body tissues. Do not share personal items, such as toothbrushes, razors, or sex toys, that may be contaminated with blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.
If you are pregnant The risk of a woman spreading HIV to her baby can be greatly reduced if she: Is on medicine that reduces the amount of virus in her blood to undetectable levels during pregnancy. Continues treatment during pregnancy. Does not breastfeed her baby. The baby should also receive treatment after it is born. Make healthy lifestyle choices Eat a healthy, balanced diet to keep your immune system strong.
Heart-healthy eating can help prevent some of the problems, such as high cholesterol, that can be caused by treatment for HIV. Learn how to deal with the weight loss that HIV infection can cause.
Learn how to handle food properly to avoid getting food poisoning. Exercise regularly to reduce stress and improve the quality of your life. Take steps to help prevent HIV-related fatigue.
Don't smoke. People with HIV are more likely to have a heart attack or get lung cancer. Don't use illegal drugs. And limit your use of alcohol. Join a support group Support groups are often good places to share information, problem-solving tips, and emotions related to HIV infection. Prevent other illnesses Get the immunizations and the medicine treatment you need to prevent certain infections or illnesses, such as some types of pneumonia or cancer that are more likely to develop in people who have a weakened immune system.
Tips for caregivers A skilled caregiver can provide the emotional, physical, and medical care that will improve the quality of life for a person who has HIV. If your partner has HIV: Provide emotional support , such as listening to and encouraging the person.
Protect your partner with HIV from other infections by practicing good hygiene. Take care of yourself by sharing your frustrations with others and seeking help when you need it. Provide home care by learning how to give medicine and seek help in an emergency. Medications Medicines used to treat HIV are called antiretrovirals. When choosing medicines, your doctor will think about: How well the medicines reduce viral load.
How likely it is that the virus will become resistant to a certain type of medicine. The cost of medicines.
Medicine side effects and your willingness to live with them. Other Treatment Counseling Counseling may help you to: Deal with strong emotions.
Reduce anxiety and depression. Reducing stress Reducing stress can help you better manage the HIV illness. Some methods of stress reduction include: Relaxation , which involves breathing and muscle relaxation exercises. Guided imagery , a series of thoughts and suggestions that help you relax.
Biofeedback , which teaches you to relax through learning to control a body function that isn't normally under conscious control, such as heart rate or skin temperature. Problem solving , which focuses on any current problems in your life and helps you solve them. Acupuncture , which involves the insertion of very thin needles into the skin to stimulate energy flow throughout the body.
It may also help reduce the side effects of HIV medicines. Medical marijuana Marijuana has been shown to stimulate the appetite and relieve nausea. Alternative treatments Alternative and complementary treatments for HIV need to be carefully evaluated. Make sure to discuss complementary therapies with your doctor before trying them. Related Information Sexually Transmitted Infections.
References Citations U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Preexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection in the United States— update: A clinical practice guideline.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed July 28, Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIVinfected adults and adolescents.
Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed May 5, Thompson MA, et al.
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