The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a serious global health problem because, for example, in Spain alone there are currently around 160,000 people diagnosed with this STD or sexually transmitted disease. In addition, as it is sometimes difficult to detect the problem in its beginnings, of these thousands of Spaniards almost half were cases detected late, already with an advanced state with AIDS or near it.
Therefore, it is vital to keep in mind that before any possible risk it is good to take a test, because it is the only way to detect the disease in an initial state that allows you to act in time to have a better quality of life from that moment. Thus, it is necessary to go to the medical centers that offer these tests, but more and more people are wondering “how to know if I have HIV without going to the doctor?” Therefore, in we want to clear this doubt and explain everything about the HIV self-tests that are already available.
Causes and symptoms of HIV
The causes of HIV are simply direct contact with the virus, being transmitted from an infected person to a healthy one and can only be transmitted in three specific ways, which we will explain in the next section. That is, this virus does not appear secondarily or opportunistically from other diseases.
One of the factors that makes this disease dangerous, apart from the fact that there is still no cure for HIV and AIDS, is that it can be somewhat complicated to detect it early, since most people do not have symptoms at first and, most people, do not usually go to be tested before the awareness of a risk situation, but they do it by detecting symptoms after a long time, with the virus in an advanced state or even with AIDS. It can take years for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus to manifest itself more clearly, it can even take a decade from the moment of infection to the appearance of symptoms.
Among the symptoms of HIV in the first year, which can occur from 2 or 4 weeks after infection, highlights the general malaise, muscle pain also generalized and fever or tenths. In fact, it is very common to confuse this virus with that of a flu. Therefore, it is always vital to have control tests, as well as do them if you have symptoms that may seem like a flu and you are aware that there has been a possible risk situation.
Symptoms of AIDS
In an advanced state, the symptoms of AIDS are diverse, but the main ones are the following:
- Fatigue or tiredness.
- Tremors.
- Lesions in the mouth.
- Breathing difficulties and problems.
- Weight loss.
- Paralysis in some parts.
- Nosebleed, buccal, and vaginal bleeding or bleeding.
- Swollen lymph glands.
- Serious and recurrent infections.
How HIV is transmitted
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus can be transmitted in various ways, and not only sexually as many people believe. Thus, these are the possible routes of HIV infection:
- Sexual route: it is the best-known form of contagion. It can occur both by vaginal and anal penetration, as well as in oral sex, if protection such as condoms is not used. It is anal sex that presents the greatest risk of transmission and there is an even greater risk if there are wounds in any of these areas, such as ulcers, sores or cuts.
- Blood route: another possible route of contagion of this virus is directly by blood contact. If the blood of someone already affected comes into contact with an open wound of someone healthy, contagion is very likely. It can be given by sharing materials such as syringes, by blood transfusions without disease control, by fights, and so on.
- Mother-to-child route: Finally, transmission from an infected mother to a healthy child is possible. Contagion can occur in pregnancy, especially from the third trimester, during childbirth, where there is greater risk, and during breastfeeding.
How HIV is transmitted
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus can be transmitted in various ways, and not only sexually as many people believe. Thus, these are the possible routes of HIV infection:
- Sexual route: it is the best-known form of contagion. It can occur both by vaginal and anal penetration, as well as in oral sex, if protection such as condoms is not used. It is anal sex that presents the greatest risk of transmission and there is an even greater risk if there are wounds in any of these areas, such as ulcers, sores or cuts.
- Blood route: another possible route of contagion of this virus is directly by blood contact. If the blood of someone already affected comes into contact with an open wound of someone healthy, contagion is very likely. It can be given by sharing materials such as syringes, by blood transfusions without disease control, by fights, and so on.
- Mother-to-child route: Finally, transmission from an infected mother to a healthy child is possible. Contagion can occur in pregnancy, especially from the third trimester, during childbirth, where there is greater risk, and during breastfeeding.
Where to Buy a Home HIV Test
If you want to buy the home HIV test, you will have to buy it in online pharmacies or physical pharmacies. There you can buy the self-test and, in addition, ask all the doubts you have about this disease, its transmission, the chances of suffering from it in your case, according to the risks you have had, as well as any doubts you have about how the self-test works to detect HIV.
Anyway, remember that it is best to go to the doctor to check you and to confirm the result in case you have had the test at home when less than 3 months have passed since the risk situation.
