AIDS

According to WHO (World Health Organization), by December 2003, approximately 40 million people are infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)worldwide. In In 2003, five million people were newly infected with HIV.

Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV. Some people, however, get a flu-like illness within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus. This illness, called Acute HIV Syndrome, may include fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea and enlarged lymph nodes (organs of the immune system that can be felt in the neck, armpits and groin). These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for another viral infection.

During this period, the quantity of the virus in the body will be high and it spreads to different parts, particularly the lymphoid tissue. At this stage, the infected person is more likely to pass on the infection to others. The viral quantity then drops as the body's immune system launches an orchestrated fight.

More persistent or severe symptoms may not surface for several years, even a decade or more, after HIV first enters the body in adults, or within two years in children born with the virus. This period of "asymptomatic" infection varies from individual to individual. Some people may begin to have symptoms as soon as a few months, while others may be symptom-free for more than 10 years. However, during the "asymptomatic" period, the virus will be actively multiplying, infecting, and killing cells of the immune system.

Your chance of becoming infected with HIV can be reduced by avoiding high-risk behaviors. Abstinence is the only sure way to prevent getting HIV through sex. Your risk of HIV infection from sex is low if you have been in a long-term monogamous relationship with an uninfected person. The best way to prevent HIV infection is to abstain from unsafe sexual and drug using practices.

To reduce your risk:

	Use latex or polyurethane condoms during every act of sex
	Use male or female condoms along with your chosen contraceptive
	Limit the number of your sex partners
	Avoid having sex with partners who have risky behaviors
	Avoid sharing needles ( note: acupuncturists use disposable needles. It is safe.) , IV drugs, and drug paraphernalia Do not share needles
	Avoid blood transfusing if possible
	Avoid using skin-piercing instruments that have not been disinfected
	Make sure that dentists, tattooist, and body-piercers have adequate sterilization procedures and use disposable needles

AIDS is caused by the HIV, which attacks a specific type of white blood cells known as T-lymphocytes.

HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cell (CD4+ T cells) which is crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. It is measured in the blood as the CD4 count, which is a marker on the T cells; the lower the CD4 count, the weaker the immune system. In fact, loss of these cells in people with HIV is an extremely powerful predictor of the development of AIDS. Studies of thousands of people have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop. However, sensitive tests have shown a strong connection between the amount of HIV in the blood and the decline in CD4+ T cells and the development of AIDS. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-retroviral therapies can dramatically slow the destruction of a person’s immune system.

Seventy percent of HIV transmission occurs through sexual contact. Intravenous drug users transmit HIV by sharing needles. Blood transfusions and blood products caused many infections in the early years of the epidemic, but screening procedures have nearly eliminated this risk in the United States and other developed countries. In addition, a mother can spread the virus to a newborn during delivery and through breast feeding.

A massive research effort has produced better treatments, resulting in longer survival and improved quality of life for those with access to the treatments. But there is still no vaccine or cure. The only real defense against AIDS is prevention.

Acupuncture: Acupuncture does not cure AIDS. However, a small study published in 1999 showed that acupuncture used for people with peripheral neuropathy, caused occasionally by certain medications used for HIV, improved nerve function for all of the participants - each individual reported feeling less pain, increased strength, and improved sensation, confirmed by measurable improvement in nerve function.

Massage may enhance the immune system and decrease anxiety, as demonstrated in a study of newborns specifically. Other forms of stress reduction have shown improved CD4 counts in additional populations.

News and articles about AIDS
	Using Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture to Treat HIV/AIDS: an Analysis of 201 Cases ... we began treating people with HIV/AIDS in 1986. Our approach was to use a treatment combination of Chinese herbs, specifically formulated for their antiviral and immune enhancing effects, and acupuncture...
	HIV/AIDS Patients Report Using Alternative Treatments ...hiv/aids patients report using alternative treatments...

	Service the San Francisco Bay Area since 1994. Voted the best acupuncturist in Sunnyvale!