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Writer's pictureStephanie Joyce Alilin
Dec 3, 20223 min read

HIV/AIDS Awareness

Let's make a common cause this December as we commemorate the annual HIV/AIDS Awareness Month. With the theme: “Rock the Ribbon,” the medical community members seek to fight against the never-ending stigma of people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. This day of remembrance was established in 1988 for people to join in the battle against HIV.

WHAT IS HIV and AIDS?

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a type of virus that attacks the body's immune system. If HIV is left untreated, it could develop as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, also known as AIDS, which is the last stage of HIV infection wherein the human body’s immune system is severely damaged (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).


HIV presents itself in a variety of ways. The symptoms will not be the same for everyone, and some don’t even have symptoms at all. It always depends on the individual and the stage of the disease. Here are three stages of HIV and its possible symptoms:


Stage 1: Acute HIV Infection

Within 2 to 4 weeks of HIV infection, most individuals will experience a flu-like sickness. This is the usual response of the body to HIV infection. Such symptoms include:

  • Fever

  • Chills

  • Rash

  • Night sweats

  • Muscle aches

  • Sore throat

  • Fatigue

  • Swollen lymph nodes

  • Mouth ulcers

Stage 2: Clinical Latency

The virus is still multiplying at this stage, although at a very low rate. At this time, people may not feel ill or exhibit any symptoms. This is also known as Chronic HIV infection.


You can live a long and healthy life if you take your HIV medication precisely as directed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load. You will not transmit HIV to your HIV-negative partners through intercourse.


Stage 3: AIDS

This is the last stage of HIV infection. If you have HIV and are not receiving any treatment, the virus will gradually damage your immune system, and you will develop AIDS. Symptoms of AIDS include:

  • Rapid weight loss

  • Recurring fever or profuse night sweats

  • Extreme and unexplained tiredness

  • Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck

  • Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week

  • Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals

  • Pneumonia

  • Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids

  • Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders


HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE HIV?

Getting tested is the only way to find out if you have HIV. You can avoid contracting or spreading HIV by making healthy decisions when you know your HIV status.


HOW CAN A PHYSICAL THERAPIST HELP?

HIV infections and their side effects can both be painful. They may also contribute to illnesses that impair normal endurance and mobility. HIV might also make it more difficult for you to work or enjoy your leisure time. Physical therapists cannot treat HIV directly, but they can help persons with HIV with their mobility and functional issues.


All of these issues can be handled by a physical therapist. Your physical therapist's primary objective is to enhance your quality of life and support your continued engagement in home, work, and social activities. Physical therapists will perform a thorough assessment to determine the causes of such pain. Additionally, they'll evaluate any movement issues that limit your exercise capacity. To meet your different needs, they will select the appropriate treatments. These can aid pain relief and enhance heart health, balance, and the capacity to carry out daily tasks.


HOW CAN AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST HELP?

Occupational therapists help and motivate people with all kinds of disabilities who have difficulties carrying out day-to-day activities. They can help HIV-positive individuals manage their symptoms and engage in the activities they want to do more successfully.


Occupational therapists support people with HIV by assisting them, managing their energy despite the pain and changing symptoms, finding workarounds to make tasks more tolerable, acquiring devices that can improve their safety and independence when carrying out daily tasks, and finding ways to adapt to new situations. Occupational therapists can also help patients deal with the emotional effects of the condition and can create plans to aid with any changes in cognition that may occur. By educating patients and offering them tools to manage their condition independently, occupational therapists can also assist persons living with HIV.


Together, let us express our support and raise awareness for individuals battling HIV and AIDS and remember those who have passed.


-


Written by: Stephanie Joyce Alilin, CRS Newsletter


References:



[2] Entwistle, J. (2017, November 7). HIV/AIDS and the role of occupational therapy. Solutions for Living by Entwistle Power Occupational Therapy. https://www.solutionsforliving.ca/2017/12/hivaids-and-the-role-of-occupational-therapy/






Photo by:


Pfeifferv. (2019, October 4). December is AIDS Awareness Month stock illustration - illustration of International, graphic: 131974926. Dreamstime. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.dreamstime.com/december-aids-awareness-month-background-red-ribbon-image131974926




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