HIV infection is a medical condition denoting infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. As this infection progresses, the virus effectively weakens and disables the immunity of the body, rendering it susceptible to multiple infections. The infection gradually culminates into full-blown AIDS, which has specific definition criteria according to WHO guidelines.
The modern treatment of HIV/AIDS consists of anti-retroviral medicines which inactivate the virus at various stages of its growth and propagation within the host environment; however, most of these medicines are highly toxic and do not completely eradicate the virus. While treatment costs have come down considerably, there is no cure, and multiple combinations of these medicines to synergise efficacy only result in increased costs and toxicity.
Ayurvedic medicines are very effective in controlling the HIV virus, preventing its multiplication, improving the body immunity, and actually treating various problems related to HIV infection. While modern antibiotics can better handle bacterial opportunistic infections, Ayurvedic medicines are more superior for immune-modulation, and for repairing the damage to various important organs and systems such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and the nervous system and gastrointestinal system.
People with severe and advanced HIV infection, such as full-blown AIDS, can be very well managed with Ayurvedic treatment. Patients with a CD4 count of less than 5 can be maintained for several years with Ayurvedic herbomineral treatment. Complicated conditions like advanced nervous system involvement, including conditions like speech and hearing loss, semi-comatose state, and coma have been treated successfully with Ayurvedic medicines. Chronic diarrhoea and severe body wasting can also be treated successfully with Ayurvedic medicines.
Ayurvedic treatment can thus prove to be a boon in the treatment of advanced HIV/AIDS. Scientific, long-term studies are the need of the hour in order to validate these results in a large number of patients, in order to give respectability and credibility to this system of medicine.
The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com
