Can AIDS Be Cured in the Early Stages?

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with HIV, it may be comforting to know that you’re not alone. In the U.S., about 1.2 million people have HIV, and of those, 13% don’t know that they’re infected. Although HIV cases are on the decline, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported about 32,000 new infections in 2021.

Can AIDS be cured in the early stages? Unfortunately, there currently is no cure for HIV or AIDS. However, it’s possible to keep the infection at bay and live a long, healthy life with the help of antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Below, you’ll learn about the importance of an early HIV diagnosis, the current state of AIDS research, and best practices for preventing the progression of HIV to AIDS. You’ll also find some tips on how to navigate the emotional and social impact of an HIV or AIDS diagnosis.

The Reality of HIV/AIDS Cures: Current Scientific Understanding

It’s important to know the difference between AIDS and HIV to get a better understanding of treatment options.

HIV and AIDS are similar, but not quite the same thing. HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is the initial stage of the infection. The virus attacks CD4 cells in the body, making it difficult for sufferers to fight off illnesses, other infections, and even cancer.

If HIV is left untreated, it gradually destroys the immune system and develops into AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. People who do not receive treatment at this point are likely to pass away due to a secondary infection or illness.

How long does it take for HIV to turn into AIDS? Without treatment, HIV to AIDS progression takes about 10 to 15 years.

Cure vs. Control

Can AIDS be cured in the early stages? Unfortunately not.

Researchers have hunted for an HIV/AIDS cure for years with no success. Part of the problem is that HIV is a sneaky virus. It hides its “instructions” inside of the body’s cells and eventually incorporates itself into the host cell’s DNA.

Because the virus hides itself so well, no known drug therapy can currently reach and destroy it. Presently, antiretroviral therapy is the closest thing we have to a cure for HIV/AIDS. If taken early enough, it can prevent the virus from replicating so that the body’s immune system stays healthy.

HIV/AIDS is not the death sentence that it once was. With ART, infected people can live long lives with virtually no symptoms.

Advancements in Treatment

Although there currently isn’t a cure for HIV/AIDS, scientists are hard at work trying to find one. A few promising HIV cure research projects include:

• Shock and Kill Technique: With this strategy, the goal is to have a patient discontinue ART to reawaken every HIV reservoir cell at the same time. Once reawakened, doctors will administer a drug or therapy to kill the reactivated cells. The challenge is finding a drug that will kill HIV-infected cells while ignoring healthy cells.
• Stem Cell Transplants: This tactic involves introducing healthy cells to help a patient’s body rebuild its immune system. There is a risk of the body rejecting these new cells, though.
• Lock and Block Technique: This method would trap the HIV virus in host cells where it’s unable to replicate. Scientists are currently looking for a drug that can achieve this without harming uninfected cells.

Importance of Early HIV Detection

There may not be a cure for HIV yet, but the sooner you detect the virus, the sooner you can start treatment. People who catch the virus early on and begin ART have better outcomes and longer lives than those who don’t.

If you suspect that you may have HIV, you can take a rapid STD test to find out.

Antiretroviral Therapy: A Lifeline for HIV Patients

As mentioned above, antiretroviral therapy, or ART, is the closest thing doctors have to a cure for HIV/AIDS. This drug works by preventing the HIV virus from replicating in a patient’s cells. When taken over a long period of time, ART can lower one’s viral load so much that the HIV virus becomes undetectable in their blood.

This is the closest HIV patients can get to not having the virus at all. With an undetectable viral load, their immune systems will function the same as a healthy person’s.

ART can also reduce the chance of parent-to-infant transmission during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding. Previously, doctors recommended formula over breastfeeding for HIV-positive mothers out of fears that breast milk could transmit the virus to infants. Now, research suggests that there is less than a 1% chance of transmitting the virus through breastfeeding so long as the mother has an undetectable viral load.

Impact on Longevity and Quality of Life

Before the invention of ART, an HIV/AIDS diagnosis was essentially a death sentence. More than 32 million people have died due to HIV/AIDS over the past 40 years, many of whom would still be alive were ART available.

People who lived during the 1980s may recall the AIDS epidemic of the era. Researchers weren’t sure how to accurately screen for the infection, and there wasn’t yet any treatment available. Until 1983, scientists dubbed HIV a “gay disease” because the majority of cases seemed to occur in gay men.

Researchers introduced ART as a treatment in 1996, and 1997 was the first year that HIV infections began to decline since the advent of the epidemic. Now, infected people can live well into their 80s or longer.

Treatment Regimens

HIV treatment is available in two forms: pills or injections. Doctors recommend pills for people who are just beginning treatment. They may suggest a single or combination pill depending on what they think is right for you.

Once your viral load has been undetectable for at least three months, you may consider switching to shots. You’ll need to visit your doctor for a shot every month or every other month, depending on your treatment plan.

Challenges and Side Effects

HIV drugs are very safe, but they may cause side effects in some people. Common side effects include:

• Fatigue
• Headache
• Upset stomach
• Diarrhea
• Liver problems

These side effects may be uncomfortable, but it’s important to continue your treatment to keep the HIV virus at bay. Talk to your doctor if side effects become unmanageable.

Certain HIV drugs can cause more serious problems, such as an increased risk of heart attack, metabolic issues, and problems with your blood cells. Zidovudine and related drugs, in particular, are known to slow the production of different types of blood cells. You may develop conditions such as thrombocytopenia, which interferes with blood clotting, or anemia, which can make you feel excessively tired.

If you develop any of these conditions, your doctor may want to add a medication that helps your body produce blood cells to your treatment regimen. If these conditions become severe, you may need to switch HIV medications.

Preventing Progression to AIDS: Strategies and Best Practices

Can aids be cured in the early stages? No, but there are ways to prevent AIDS from developing.

By starting HIV/AIDS treatment early, it’s completely possible to prevent the infection from developing into AIDS. According to findings by the National Institutes of Health-funded Strategic Timing of Antiretroviral Treatment (START) study, people who began ART when their CD4+T cell counts were greater than 500 cells per cubic millimeter had a 57% lower risk of AIDS and serious non-AIDS health outcomes.

When you begin ART, your doctor will want to perform regular checkups to keep an eye on your viral load. So long as your viral load remains undetectable, your immune system will stay healthy, and you cannot transmit the virus to anyone else.

Lifestyle Factors and Co-Infections

People with HIV are at risk for developing co-infections, called opportunistic infections, if they aren’t receiving treatment or the treatment isn’t working properly. Common opportunistic infections in people with HIV include:

• Herpes simplex virus (HSV): A sexually transmitted infection that usually causes no major problems for healthy people. People with compromised immune systems can develop pneumonia or infection of the esophagus.
• Cryptococcosis: A fungal infection that affects the central nervous system and/or lungs.
• Lymphoma: Cancer of the lymph nodes.
• Toxoplasmosis: A parasitic infection found in red meats and the feces of certain animals (particularly cats).

To avoid co-infections:

• Talk to your doctor about vaccines that can prevent certain infections, such as HPV and hepatitis B
• Limit your exposure to germs that could make you sick
• Consider wearing a face mask when in public
• Avoid raw milk and cheese, undercooked meat, raw seed sprouts, and unpasteurized fruit juices

Community and Mental Health Support

Learning that you have HIV can be very shocking. Some people take the diagnosis well, while others develop depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

Mental health is closely tied to physical health, so it’s important to take care of yourself emotionally during this time. You might want to talk to a counselor or therapist about your feelings. Your doctor might also recommend antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication to help you feel better.

It can also help to know that you’re not alone. Attending an HIV/AIDS mental health support group (in-person or online) is a great way to meet other people with the condition and learn about living with HIV/AIDS. A few helpful support groups include:

• The Well Project
• POZ Community Forums
• THRIVE SS

Prevention of Transmission

Practicing safe sex is the number-one way to achieve HIV transmission prevention. Do this by:

• Refraining from sex unless you have an undetectable viral load
• Getting vaccinated for STDs
• Using condoms every time you have sex
• Limiting yourself to a single sex partner
• Limiting alcohol, which can cause you to make risky sexual decisions

Navigating the Social and Emotional Impact of an HIV/AIDS Diagnosis

When you first receive an HIV diagnosis, you’re likely to feel a variety of emotions. First, you might feel shocked or numb. The diagnosis may seem unreal. You might even think, “I can’t have HIV. How could this have happened to me?”

As the reality of the diagnosis sets in, you might feel angry or fearful. Maybe you’ll worry that you don’t have long left to live or that you’ll have to cope with illnesses and infections for the rest of your life.

Commonly, recently diagnosed people are worried about the stigma they’ll face. They’re unsure how to tell people, especially their romantic partner.

Coping Mechanisms

It’s critical to enlist support to help you deal with your HIV diagnosis. Support groups are a wonderful resource for people living with HIV. Here, you can learn about other people with the condition and get tips on HIV viral load management.

Therapy can be a great help, too. Look for a therapist who’s trained in helping people cope with difficult health diagnoses to get the best HIV lifestyle management support. If you can’t make it to a therapist in person, you can find many options for online counseling.

Don’t forget to rely on your friends and family, as they can be some of the best sources of support.

Disclosure and Relationships

If you have sexual partners, it’s important to tell them that you have HIV. This can be a very difficult conversation if you’re unsure how they’ll take the news.

You might say something like this: “I’ve recently learned that I have HIV, and I’ll be starting treatment right away. With treatment, my viral load will become undetectable, which means I can’t transmit the virus to you.”

Combating Stigma

Despite advancements in HIV research and AIDS awareness, some stigma still remains about the infection. You can do your part to reduce stigma by:

• Sharing facts to combat disinformation, such as the belief that HIV can be transmitted through hugging or casual contact
• Explaining that you can’t transmit the virus if your load is undetectable
• Talking openly and factually about HIV with family and friends

Order Same-Day HIV Testing Now

Can AIDS be cured in the early stages? No, but you can keep it from developing.

Order a 10-panel STD test from Rapid STD Testing if you think you may have HIV. Just order your test online, head to a nearby lab, and you’ll get your results in a couple of days. It’s fast, discreet, and incredibly convenient.

Remember, the sooner you test yourself for HIV, the sooner you can begin treatment. With treatment, it’s possible to live a long and healthy life.

Order same-day STD testing now or call (866) 872-1888 to find a nearby lab.