11 Early Symptoms of HIV Every Woman Should Be Aware Of

4. Severe Sore Throat

An inflamed throat is another common symptom of your body’s reaction to a viral infection. It would make it hard to swallow, but unlike with strep, your doctor won’t see patches of white, but just redness and inflammation like with a cold.

Dr. Horberg says there are a lot of viruses that can affect your throat, it doesn’t always have to be HIV. But if you have any concern that you might have HIV, it’s better to get tested.