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AIDS
The main Symptoms and common complications of AIDS
AIDS is preceded by HIV infection, which may produce no symptoms for up to 10 years before a person is diagnosed with AIDS. Acute HIV infection progresses over time to asymptomatic HIV infection and later, to advanced HIV diseases or AIDS.
In a study of people infected with the HIV virus from 1977 through 1980, some have no signs or symptoms of HIV infection, and some have only enlarged lymph nodes. It is suspected that all persons infected with HIV will, given enough time, progress to AIDS; this theory has not been definitively proven.
The main symptoms:
prolonged, unexplained fatigue
swollen glands (lymph nodes)
fever lasting more than 10 days
chills
excessive sweating especially night sweats
mouth lesions including yeast lesions and painful, swollen gums
sore throat
cough
shortness of breath
changes in bowel habits including constipation
frequent diarrhea
symptoms of a specific opportunistic infection (such as candida, pneumocystis, and so on)
tumor (Kaposi sarcoma)
skin rashes or lesions of various types
unintentional weight loss
general discomfort or uneasiness (malaise)
headache
Complications:
AIDS defining manifestations of immune deficiency, also called the opportunistic infections of AIDS, are illnesses that AIDS patients frequently acquire. Sometimes there will be more than one infection at the same time. Many of these infections are difficult to treat in AIDS patients, and therapy is required indefinitely or the infection will relapse.
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
speech impairment
muscle atrophy
memory loss
decreasing intellectual function
joint stiffness
joint pain
cold intolerance
bone pain or tenderness
unusual or strange behavior
slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
anxiety, stress, and tension
groin lump
generalized itching (pruritus)
genital sores (female)
genital sores (male)
blurred vision
double vision (diplopia)
light sensitivity
blind spots in the vision
decreased vision or blindness
chest pain
flank pain or pain in the sides
back pain
abdominal pain
loss of appetite, indigestion, or other gastrointestinal upset
muscle pain
bone pain or tenderness
numbness and tingling
seizures
Attention: The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.