- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arteriovenous Malformations
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Back Pain
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Tumors
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Childhood Brain Tumors
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Ischemic Stroke
- Memory
- Meningitis
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Speech and Language Problems in Children
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Tremor
- Walking Problems
- West Nile Virus
- A1C
- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes Complications
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes Medicines
- Diabetes Type 1
- Diabetes Type 2
- Diabetic Diet
- Diabetic Eye Problems
- Diabetic Foot
- Diabetic Heart Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Problems
- Diabetic Nerve Problems
- How to Prevent Diabetes
- Hyperglycemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
- Abortion
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Diseases
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breastfeeding
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Female Infertility
- Health Problems in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- HPV
- Hysterectomy
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Miscarriage
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Stillbirth
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Trichomoniasis
- Tubal Ligation
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Diseases
- Uterine Fibroids
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Diseases
- Vaginitis
- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Disorders
- Yeast Infections
- Alcohol
- Calcium
- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Brain Malformations
- Cerebral Palsy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Chiari Malformation
- Cleft Lip and Palate
- Color Blindness
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Friedreich Ataxia
- Genetic Counseling
- Hemophilia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Neural Tube Defects
- Neurofibromatosis
- Newborn Screening
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Pregnancy and Medicines
- Rett Syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Tourette Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis
- Usher Syndrome
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Allergy
- Animal Bites
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Asthma
- Asthma in Children
- Childhood Leukemia
- Childhood Vaccines
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Eosinophilic Disorders
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Hay Fever
- HIV
- HIV and Infections
- HIV in Women
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Pemphigus
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Tonsillitis
- Vaccines
- Viral Infections
- Adhesions
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Arm Injuries and Disorders
- Back Injuries
- Brachial Plexus Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries and Disorders
- Concussion
- CPR
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dislocations
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Eye Injuries
- Facial Injuries and Disorders
- Finger Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Fractures
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Heel Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Inhalation Injuries
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Jaw Injuries and Disorders
- Knee Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Mosquito Bites
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Sprains and Strains
- Tick Bites
- Toe Injuries and Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Acute Bronchitis
- Bird Flu
- Chronic Bronchitis
- COPD
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
- Croup
- E-Cigarettes
- Fistulas
- Flu
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
- Legionnaires’ Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Sleep Apnea
- Smoking
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping Cough
- Anatomy
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Birth Control
- Chlamydia Infections
- Circumcision
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes Simplex
- Infertility
- Male Infertility
- Penis Disorders
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate Diseases
- Reproductive Hazards
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Problems in Men
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Syphilis
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Disorders
- Vasectomy
- Abdominal Pain
- Bad Breath
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems
- Bruises
- Chest Pain
- Choking
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and Vertigo
- Edema
- Fainting
- Fever
- Frostbite
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Heat Illness
- Hives
- Hypothermia
- Indigestion
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Pain
- Rare Diseases
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Sciatica
- Speech and Communication Disorders
- Stuttering
Living with HIV
Summary
What are HIV and AIDS?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying a type of white blood cell that helps your body fight infection. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the final stage of infection with HIV. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS.
Are there treatments for HIV/AIDS?
There is no cure, but there are many medicines to treat both HIV infection and the infections and cancers that come with it. The medicines allow people with HIV to have long, healthy lives.
How can I live a healthier life with HIV?
IIf you have HIV, you can help yourself by:
- Getting medical care as soon as you find out that you have HIV. You should find a health care provider who has experience in treating HIV/AIDS.
- Making sure to take your medicines regularly
- Keeping up with your regular medical and dental care
- Managing stress and getting support, such as from support groups, therapists, and social service organizations
- Learning as much as you can about HIV/AIDS and its treatments
- Trying to live a healthy lifestyle, including
- Eating healthy foods.This can give your body the energy it needs to fight HIV and other infections. It can also help you manage HIV symptoms and medicine side effects. It may also improve absorption of your HIV medicines.
- Exercising regularly. This can strengthen your body and immune system. It may also reduce the risk of depression.
- Getting enough sleep. Sleep is important for your physical strength and mental health.
- Not smoking. People with HIV who smoke have a higher risk of developing conditions such as certain cancers and infections. Smoking can also interfere with your medicines.
It is also important to reduce the risk of spreading HIV to other people. You should tell your sex partners that you have HIV and always use latex condoms. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Older Adults
- Aging with HIV HIV.gov
- HIV, AIDS, and Older Adults National Institute on Aging
Specifics
- Body Shape Changes with HIV Department of Veterans Affairs
- General Information about AIDS-Related Lymphoma National Cancer Institute
- HIV and COVID-19 National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- HIV and COVID-19 Basics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- HIV and Mental Health National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- HIV/AIDS and Infections: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- HIV/AIDS and Oral Health National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
- How to Take Care of Your Mental Health with HIV National Library of Medicine
- Neurological Complications of HIV and AIDS National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- People with HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections HIV.gov
Find an Expert
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Clinicalinfo: Information on HIV/AIDS Treatment, Prevention, and Research HIV.gov
- HIV.gov HIV.gov
- HIVinfo National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- NIAID Division of AIDS National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: HIV/AIDS and Quality of Life National Institutes of Health
Related Issues
- Drugs, Alcohol and HIV Department of Veterans Affairs
- HIV and Heart Disease National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- HIV and Immunizations National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- HIV and Kidney Disease National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- HIV Infection and Cancer Risk National Cancer Institute
- Just Diagnosed: Next Steps after Testing Positive for HIV National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- Sex and Sexuality and HIV Department of Veterans Affairs
- Smoking and HIV HIV.gov
- Travelers’ Health: Human Immunodeficiency Virus / HIV Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Types of Providers HIV.gov
- Ways HIV Can Be Transmitted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- What’s a Blip? National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
Living With
- Get the Facts about HIV Medical Care National Library of Medicine
- HIV and Nutrition and Food Safety National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- HIV Treatment Adherence National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- Living with HIV Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Mental Health HIV.gov
- Mental Health and HIV Department of Veterans Affairs
- Seeing Your Health Care Provider HIV.gov
Reference Desk
- Glossary HIV.gov
Statistics and Research
- HIV in the United States and Dependent Areas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- HIV in the United States by Age Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- HIV Statistics Overview Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The Science Is Clear: With HIV, Undetectable Equals Untransmittable National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Start Here
- HIV Treatment Overview HIV.gov
- How to Stay Healthy with HIV National Library of Medicine
- What to Do after Finding Out You Have HIV National Library of Medicine
Women
- HIV/AIDS and Pregnancy: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
Treatments and Therapies
- How to Find HIV Treatment Services National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- Treatment Option Overview (AIDS Related-Lymphoma) National Cancer Institute
Encyclopedia
- Lactic acidosis Medical Encyclopedia
Images
- Pets and People with HIV National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
- Tips for HIV Treatment Regimen Adherence National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research
Journal Articles
Diagnosis and Tests
- Stages of AIDS-Related Lymphoma National Cancer Institute