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Are you having back pain with any of the following?

  • Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
  • Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
  • Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
  • A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.

We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.

We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.

Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.

HIV Prevention

Overview

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system, the body's natural defense system. Without a strong immune system, your body has trouble fighting off disease and infections. Once you contract HIV, it will always stay in your body. If HIV is diagnosed in its early stages, we can effectively treat it with antiretroviral medications.

If you are diagnosed with HIV, you are said to be HIV-positive. If you do not have HIV, you are said to be HIV-negative.

Symptoms

Not all people who have been infected with HIV experience symptoms, especially in the beginning. Early symptoms of HIV may seem a lot like the common flu. You may:

  • Feel feverish.
  • Have headaches.
  • Have a sore throat.
  • Experience pain in your muscles or joints.
  • Have swollen lymph nodes.
  • Have a skin rash.

If you do have symptoms, they may appear anytime in the first month after you're infected, and go away after several weeks. After these initial symptoms disappear, it's possible that you will not have symptoms for years.

Screening and Diagnosis

Screening

If you are experiencing symptoms, or if you are at higher risk for contracting HIV, we recommend that you be screened. You are at higher risk for contracting HIV if:

  • You have shared needles or other equipment to inject intravenous drugs.
  • You have had unprotected sex with someone who has HIV or with someone with a sexual history that is unknown to you.

It is very important to have regular HIV testing if you are at higher risk. Early HIV infection may not have any symptoms and can go undiagnosed for years. Effective treatment is possible if HIV is diagnosed in its early stages.

If you are sexually active and younger than 25, we recommend you come in once a year to be screened for STDs.

Diagnosis

HIV is diagnosed by blood test. The test screens for HIV antibodies in the blood, which are a sign that the virus is present. If your blood shows these antibodies (a "positive" test), we'll retest the blood just to make sure.

Though you should be tested as soon as possible if you think you've been exposed to HIV, it can sometimes take up to 5 months for these antibodies to show up on our tests. Even if your first test comes back negative (meaning that you do not have HIV), you should be retested 6 months later to be completely sure you were not infected.

Causes

You can get HIV from contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. HIV can be transmitted by:

  • Unprotected sex with an infected person. Latex or polyurethane condoms provide the most effective barrier to HIV, if they are used correctly and consistently. If you have sex without using a condom, you run the risk of contracting the virus.
  • Contact with an infected person's blood. If blood from an infected person enters someone else's body, then it can pass on the virus.
  • The birth process. HIV can be transmitted from an infected woman to her baby during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. However, we can prescribe drugs that can greatly reduce the chances of this happening.
  • Intravenous drugs injection. People who inject intravenous drugs are at risk of catching HIV if they share needles or use improperly sterilized equipment. Even a tiny amount of blood can transmit HIV, and, if you share needles, you will inject it directly into your bloodstream with the drugs.

Prevention

Practice safer sex

It's important to understand that when you become sexually active, you can be at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). This is true for all forms of sexual activity such as oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse.

Sexually transmitted diseases are caused by different bacteria or viruses that are passed between partners during sexual activity. Some STDs are easily treated with no long-term effects, while others can be carried for life or cause serious or life-threatening diseases.

Except for not having sex (abstinence), there is no sure way to avoid contracting an STD. You can reduce your risk of getting STDs by:

  • Limiting the number of your sex partners
  • Practicing safer sex
  • Using condoms correctly and consistently

Before you start a sexual relationship, talk with your partner about HIV. Find out whether he or she is at risk and ask if they have been recently tested for HIV. Remember that a person can be infected without knowing it.

Talk openly and honestly with you partner about your risk for STDs and practicing safer sex. Be clear about what you will and won't do sexually and respect what your partner will and won’t do. Decide together what is right for both of you.

Avoid contaminated blood

If you use needles to inject intravenous drugs, it's important not to share them with others. Clean needles and syringes are available through local needle exchange programs. We recommend you seek treatment if you use illicit drugs, and we have resources that can help you.

Find Help if Your Partner Has Ever Hurt or Threatened You

Unfortunately, abusive relationships are common. Abuse can include pressuring or forcing you to have sex, or refusing to use a condom to protect against pregnancy or STDs. If you think you are being abused, you can get help by talking to us or you can:

Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 for hearing/speech impaired.  Or, visit the National Sexual Assault Hotline or call 800-656-4673.

Additional References:

If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.

This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.



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