HIV

Dealing With HIV Infection and AIDS

AIDS is easily the most feared sexually transmitted disease in the world. The reason for this is fairly simple in that AIDS has no cure and that, once a person is infected with the virus that causes the disease i.e. HIV, there is no turning back. The stories of people who are HIV positive or suffering from AIDS are fairly well documented in a variety of media ways such as government and non government campaigns, documentaries and even movies like Philadelphia. Such stories and depictions of the suffering that an HIV positive person goes through have resulted in people becoming very wary of the risks. There are only two ways through which a person can avoid the kind of suffering that is a part and parcel of HIV infection and AIDS. The following are some details.

Precautionary measures designed to avoid HIV infection and AIDS:

There are primarily three categories in which all ways of HIV transmission can be categorized. These are transmission through sexual contact, transmission through body fluids and transmission from mother to child. As there are three routes of transmission, the precautionary measures also need to be categorized into three headings.

The best way to prevent HIV infection through sexual contact is to use protection i.e. condoms. Using condoms during sexual contact would prevent the direct transfer of the sexually transmitted disease from an infected person to the uninfected person. As sexual contact is considered to be the primary mode through which the disease spreads, most governments in the world have made sure that the condoms are available easily. Prevention of infection from exposure to body fluids is something that is relevant for healthcare practitioners and the person taking care of a patient. Infection spread through exposure to body fluids can be prevented through the use of protective gear like gloves and masks. The spread of the disease from mother to child, though rare, is difficult for pregnant women to deal with. However, since the infection spreads through breast feeding, avoiding this can prevent the transfer.

Suppression techniques used on HIV positive patients:

As mentioned above, there is no known cure for an HIV positive person. However, this does not mean that there are no procedures for slowing the growth of the infection or limiting its symptoms. The procedure most successful in limiting the growth of the infection is known as antiretroviral therapy. The problem with this procedure is that it has to be used within 72 hours of exposure to the virus. The principle behind the antiretroviral therapy is that it prevents the initial infection from expanding and taking root in the body. Another problem with this procedure is that the dosage schedule lasts for four weeks and is extremely grueling for the patient. There are many unpleasant side effects to the treatment such as malaise, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. Moreover, there is some success that has been reported from the alternative medical sciences as well. While around 60 percent of HIV positive and AIDS patients use herbal medicines today, there are also some people who rely on acupuncture for symptomatic relief.