HIV infection is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. You can get HIV from contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. Most people get the virus by having unprotected sex with someone who has HIV. Another common way of getting it is by sharing drug needles with someone who is infected with HIV.

Primary infection (Acute HIV)

Some people infected by HIV develop a flu-like illness within two to four weeks after the virus enters the body. This illness, known as primary (acute) HIV infection, may last for a few weeks. Possible signs and symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches and joint pain
• Rash
• Sore throat and painful mouth sores
• Swollen lymph glands, mainly on the neck
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Cough
• Night sweats

These symptoms can be so mild that you might not even notice them. However, the amount of virus in your bloodstream (viral load) is quite high at this time. As a result, the infection spreads more easily during primary infection than during the next stage.

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When cells grow old or become damaged, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes this orderly process breaks down, and abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply when they shouldn't. These cells may form tumors, which are lumps of tissue. Tumors can be cancerous or not cancerous (benign).

Some general signs and symptoms associated with, but not specific to, cancer, include:

• Fatigue
• Lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin
• Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain
• Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won't heal, or changes to existing moles
• Changes in bowel or bladder habits
• Persistent cough or trouble breathing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hoarseness
• Persistent indigestion or discomfort after eating
• Persistent, unexplained muscle or joint pain
• Persistent, unexplained fevers or night sweats
• Unexplained bleeding or bruising

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• Chest tightness or pressure.
• Difficulty catching your breath.
• Dizziness or fainting.
• Fatigue.
• Fluid build up.
• Heart palpitations (heart pounding or racing).
• Pain or numbness in your legs or arms.
• Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting.

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There are three main types of injectables.

The most common one is Botox, but other options include Xeomin, Dysport, and Jeuveau.

Injectable fillers are most commonly used for the face, but unbeknownst to most, they are often administered in other parts of the body as well. Because they are non-invasive, dermal fillers have become a popular choice when looking to restore lost volume, smooth out fine lines, or diminish wrinkles

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Common causes of musculoskeletal pain include:

• Overuse injuries
• Bone fractures
• Joint dislocation 
• Direct blows to muscles, bones, or joints
• Poor posture
• Sprains

Common musculoskeletal pain symptoms include:

• Aching and stiffness
• Muscle twitches
• Burning sensations in the muscles
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Pain that worsens with movement

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There are different causes for different types of diabetes:
Type 1: Doctors don’t know exactly what causes type 1 diabetes. Genes may play a role in some people. For whatever reason, the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
Type 2: This is a result of a combination of genetics and lifestyle. Being overweight or obese increases the risk too. Carrying extra weight makes cells more resistant to the effects of insulin on your blood sugar.

• General diabetes symptoms include: 

  • Blurry vision
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Sores that don’t heal
  • Increased hunger
  • Increased thirst
  • Frequent urination

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Injections of insulin can help manage both types of diabetes. The injected insulin acts as a replacement for, or a supplement to, your body’s natural insulin.

People living with type 1 diabetes can’t make insulin, so they must inject insulin to control their blood glucose levels.

Many people living with type 2 diabetes can manage their blood glucose levels with lifestyle changes and oral medication. However, if these treatments don’t help control glucose levels, people living with type 2 diabetes may also need supplemental insulin.

Typically, a blood glucose reading of less than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is considered too low for almost anyone using insulin, but you should talk with your doctor about what is too low for you.

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This is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Once a clot has formed in the deep veins of the leg, there is a potential for part of the clot to break off and travel through the blood to another area of the body, often the lung. DVT is the most common cause of a pulmonary embolism.

DVT signs and symptoms can include:

• Swelling in the affected leg. Rarely, there's swelling in both legs.
• Pain in your leg. The pain often starts in your calf and can feel like cramping or soreness.
• Red or discoloured skin on the leg.
• A feeling of warmth in the affected leg.
• Deep vein thrombosis can occur without noticeable symptoms.

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The types of medications that can be compounded are endless. But you may be interested to learn that there are also different ways that medications can be delivered through compounding. Some of the different types of delivery options include:

• Injectables
• Serums
• Creams
• Lozenges
• Gels
• Suppositories
• Capsules

The primary reason for compounding is to avoid patient non-compliance, which means the patient is either unable or unwilling to use the medication as directed. Many patients are allergic to preservatives or dyes, or require a dosage that is different from the standard drug strengths.

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While many types of viruses can cause a common cold, rhinoviruses are the most common cause. A cold virus enters your body through your mouth, eyes, or nose and it can spread through droplets in the thin air when someone coughs, sneezes, or talks. It also spreads by hand-to-hand contact with someone who has a cold or sharing contaminated objects.

Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat. Nasal symptoms, runny nose, cough, and congestion may happen afterward.

Flu symptoms include fever, sore throat, headache, soreness, congestion, cough, and muscle aches.

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There are four main causes of acne:

• Bacteria
• Inflammation 
• Hair follicles clogged by oil and dead skin cells
• Excess oil production

Some factors that can worsen acne include hormonal changes, some medications, diet, and stress

Signs of acne vary depending on how severe the condition is. These are common symptoms:

• Small red and tender bumps
• Pimples
• Whiteheads (closed plugged pores)
• Blackheads (open plugged pores)
• Large, solid, painful lumps under the skin 
• Painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin 

Acne usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back, and shoulders

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Someone can get an infection in many ways including:

• Direct contact: Coming in direct contact with someone who has an infection through touching, kissing, or having sex. Some infections can spread directly from an infected mother to her child through the placenta or during childbirth.

• Indirect contact: Some infectious organisms can be found through your environment such as when someone with the flu coughs or sneezes and the virus can be in the air or on objects like a door. 

• Contaminated food or water: These may have infectious organisms, particularly raw foods, pasteurized milks or juices, or foods that have been improperly refrigerated.

• Infected animal: Rabies virus is an example where you can get infected if an animal bites you.

• Bug bite: Someone can get infected from being bit by a bug carrying around an infectious microorganism. Some examples include malaria and West Nile Virus.

General symptoms include:

• Feeling tired or fatigued
• Fever or chills
• Digestive upset, such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Body aches and pains
• Coughing or sneezing

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Different types of fungi can cause fungal infections. In some cases, fungi that aren’t usually found on or inside your body can colonize it and cause an infection. In other cases, fungi that are usually present on or inside your body can multiply out of control and cause an infection.

Symptoms of fungal infections include: 

• Irritation
• Itching
• Swelling
• Redness
• Scaly skin
• Blisters

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Most of the time, tension headaches are triggered from stress. Episodic tension headaches are usually caused by a single stressful situation or build up of stress. Daily stress can lead to chronic headaches. Other triggers can include:

• Not enough rest
• Poor posture
• Hunger
• Fatigue
• Low iron levels
• Dental problems

Signs and symptoms of a tension headaches include:

• Sensation of tightness or pressure across the forehead or on the sides and back of the head
• Dull, aching head pain
• Tenderness in the scalp, neck and shoulder muscles

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One common cause is a stomach abnormality called a hiatal hernia. This occurs when the upper part of the stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter move above the diaphragm, which usually helps keep acid in the stomach. But if you have hiatal hernia, acid can move up into your esophagus and cause symptoms of acid reflux.

Common symptoms of acid reflux are:

• Heartburn
• Regurgitation

Other symptoms of acid reflux disease include:

• Bloody or black stools or bloody vomiting
• Burping
• Wheezing, dry cough, hoarseness, or chronic sore throat
• Dysphagia -- the sensation of food being stuck in your throat
• Hiccups that don't let up
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Weight loss for no known reason

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While stomach problems often originate in the digestive tract, they can also be due to  disorders of the circulatory system, urinary tract, reproductive system, respiratory system, nervous system, or body wall. There are a variety of causes including:

• Kidney stones
• Menstrual cramps
• Pelvic inflammatory disease 
• Cancer of an abdominal or pelvic organ
• Pneumonia
• Shingles 
• Urinary tract infection

Stomach problems may accompany other symptoms affecting the digestive system including:

• Cramping
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Abdominal swelling, distension or bloating
• Belching
• Bloody stool (blood may be red, black, or tarry in texture)
• Diarrhea
• Nausea with or without vomiting
• Constipation
• Gas
• Indigestion
• Urgent need to pass stool

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Chronic respiratory diseases are chronic diseases of the airways and other parts of the lung. Some of the most common are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, sleep apnea and occupational lung diseases. Respiratory diseases affect all ages-children, teens, adults and seniors. Most of these diseases are chronic in nature and all have a major impact not only on the individual with the disease, but on the family, the community, and the health care system.

COPD symptoms often don't appear until significant lung damage has occurred, and they usually worsen over time, particularly if smoking exposure continues.

Signs and symptoms of COPD may include:

• Shortness of breath, especially during physical activities
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• A chronic cough that may produce mucus (sputum) that may be clear, white, yellow or greenish
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Lack of energy
• Unintended weight loss (in later stages)
• Swelling in ankles, feet or legs
• People with COPD are also likely to experience episodes called exacerbations, during which their symptoms become worse than the usual day-to-day variation and persist for at least several days.

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An eye infection can happen when bacteria, viruses or fungi invade part of the eye or its surrounding area. This includes the clear front surface of the eye (cornea) and the thin, moist membrane lining the outer eye and inner eyelids (conjunctiva). Many eye infections go away on their own or with simple treatment.

The symptoms of an eye infection depend on the underlying cause and can include:

• Red eyes
• Eye pain
• Eye discharge
• Watery eyes
• Dry eyes
• Light sensitivity
• Swollen eyes
• Swelling around the eyes
• Itching
• Blurry vision

Anytime you suspect an eye infection, you should always visit an eye doctor. Trying to self-diagnose your condition can delay treatment and, in rare cases, even threaten your vision.

If you experience eye infection symptoms and wear contact lenses, take your contacts out and wear eyeglasses until a doctor can diagnose your condition.

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