Though advances in treatment options have made HIV a more manageable disease than it was in years past, it’s still a condition that needs to be taken seriously. Unfortunately, many people who have the disease don’t seek medical help early on because they don’t recognize their HIV symptoms.
One of the trickiest things about identifying HIV is the fact that early HIV symptoms tend to mimic those of the flu. Fever, fatigue, and body aches are all common HIV symptoms, but they also apply to a host of other illnesses, including the flu. This is why HIV testing is crucial for those at risk for infection. Only an STD test can determine whether flu-like symptoms are nothing more than a seasonal ailment or a sign of HIV.
Since anyone who has unprotected sex is at risk for HIV, symptoms should be followed up with an HIV test if the possibility of infection exists. If STD testing does yield a positive result, antiviral medication can be started immediately to control HIV and limit the extent to which it damages the immune system. And when it comes to long-term survival, identifying HIV symptoms early through an HIV test is the best course of attack.
