3 ways HIV treatment can help

Restore

your immune system

Lower

the chance of
passing HIV to others

Lead

a long and
healthy life

Watch a video on undetectable viral loads
HIV: The Goal of Undetectable

Undetectable means there is so little HIV in your blood it cannot be measured by a test. See how getting to undetectable can help you protect your health and the people you care about.

Watch a video on how HIV works
HIV: What’s Going on Inside Your Body

You may look fine. You may feel fine. But the virus is working away, causing harm to the body. That’s the trick HIV plays. Watch this video to see what HIV does and how treatment can help.

Watch a video on undetectable viral loads
HIV: Stopping the Virus Starts With You

See what it takes to stop the virus in our bodies and in our communities.

Protect Your Health

If you have HIV, you can take care of yourself. Talk to a healthcare provider about starting HIV treatment. It is one of the most important steps you can take. That is because HIV immediately starts to cause damage to your immune system.

HELP STOP THE DAMAGE

HIV damages your immune system by raising your viral load
and lowering your CD4 count.

The damage to your immune system can cause inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s normal response when you get sick or injured. Inflammation stops when you get well or when the injury heals.

But when you have HIV, the inflammation continues. Left untreated, inflammation can cause heart, liver, and kidney diseases, and early aging.
That is why starting HIV treatment is so important.

HIV damages your immune system by raising your viral load and lowering your CD4 count
HIV damage to immune system

The damage to your immune system can also lead to infections, cancer, and AIDS. But it does not have to happen.

No cure for HIV

There is no cure for HIV. But treatment reduces inflammation and the harm HIV does to the immune system.

A lot has changed
about HIV treatment

HIV medicine

Concerns about treatment? Well, HIV medicines have improved.

  • More effective and easier to take
  • Most are between one
    and three pills per day
  • Side effects are fewer and less severe

When to start: A low CD4 count was once the signal that it was time to start HIV treatment. Today,
the U.S. DHHS recommends starting treatment early, no matter what your CD4 count is. Still, it is a
good idea to share any concerns with a healthcare provider before starting treatment.

Live a long and
healthy life

Treatment helps lower your viral load.
A lower viral load means you can:

  • Preserve and restore your immune system
    •
  • Fight infections and cancers
  • Stop the virus before it leads to AIDS

Most important:

Treatment means you are taking care of your health.
And makes it possible to live as long as someone without HIV.

Go for Undetectable

Taking HIV medicine every day can lower your viral load. It can get so low that it cannot be measured by a test. It is called being undetectable. That is why it is important to be adherent and take HIV medicine every day as prescribed.

If there is anything that keeps you from taking medicine, talk to your healthcare provider. He or she can help you find ways to be adherent.

Treatment
as Prevention

Staying on treatment and being undetectable means there is less virus in your body to pass on. It is called Treatment as Prevention, or TasP.

TasP can help lower the chance of spreading HIV by 96%. That means 96 times out of a hundred. That's a lot. But it is not 100%. So keep using condoms and safer sex to protect yourself and the people you care about.

TasP can help lower the chance of passing HIV on through sex by 96%.

Questions for Your
healthcare provider

Not sure what to ask? An honest conversation helps your healthcare
provider find the right treatment for you.

Questions to make the conversation count

If You Are Newly Diagnosed with HIV

HIV Answers features information that can help you understand and get ready for treatment. You will
also find clear answers to some of the questions you
may have. All so you can make smarter decisions
about what steps to take next.

I’ve got another question

what’s next?

These resources can help you
stop the virus.

Locate a Testing Site
Find HIV Care Services
Get Support
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