We may get affected by several diseases but we will give utmost importance to those which affects the lungs, brain, and other internal organs. Tuberculosis falls under such a category of diseases that will affect you badly.
It can affect several other organs in your body. It is capable enough to be spread from one person to another.
Permanent Cure
Today, most diseases are cured with medicines and especially with effective antibiotics. But, it takes several months to cure. Medicines are required for 6 months minimum.
Table of Contents
Types
The First Form is the Latent TB
You have germs in your body. You don’t have any symptoms, and you may not spread it to other persons which means non- contagious.
But the infection will be active in your body and may have the capacity to affect you vigorously sometime.
If you fall under the category of the high-risk patient because of your weak immune system then your doctor will give you medications to prevent or to de-active the infection.
The Second Form is the Active Tuberculosis
In this second category, you will be spreading the disease to others.
An active infection can also become medicine resistance meaning the drugs may not be capable enough to work against the bacteria.
Signs and Symptoms
The first category Latent Tuberculosis does not have the symptoms. A skin test or a blood test is enough to tell you about the disease.
Let us now see about the Signs of active infection which includes
A dry cough that lasts more than a couple of weeks.
1. You can find pain in your chest region.
2. Continuous coughing with blood
3. You will be feeling tired all the time
4. You may experience abnormal night sweats
5. Even in hot weather you could feel chills
6. Persistent fever or you can say like a low-grade fever
7. Always you may feel like contended and there will be no signs of hunger
8. Extreme loss of weight within a short period
Causes
The infection spreads through the air. It also spreads from one person to another person.
Transmission
When someone who has this disease coughs, sneezes then they are capable to release the droplets with the germs. If you inhale these germs, then you will also be affected.
Diagnosis through Skin Test
This test is the Mantoux tuberculin skin test. A small amount of fluid will be injected into the skin of your lower arm by a trained lab technician.
After three days, they’ll check for swelling in your arm. If you have swellings then it means the results are positive, and you have been affected by TB bacteria.
Blood test
The blood tests are also called interferon-gamma release assays. But, the drawback is
those tests don’t tell you if your infection is at the first stage or in the second stage.
If you get a positive skin or blood test, then your doctor will learn about the type of infection you have.
CT Scan
A CT scan may show the intensity of the infection or the congestion in your lungs. This will gives you a clear idea of what kind of treatment you may need further.
Treatment
Those who have mild infection has to take the medicine for up to nine months for a complete cure. For severe cases, it may extend for a long duration like twenty-four months.
Side Effects
Numbness in your hands and feet. Likewise, you may feel a tingling sensation in your hands and feet.
Upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting,
Loss of appetite, weakness
Painful or swollen joints
Belly pain, nausea, and vomiting etc
Complications
The following complications you may experience after you are affected by tuberculosis. It may be Issues in your bones, and joints.
Infection in your spinal cord, brain, and lymph nodes.
Intense tuberculosis infection can cause troubles in your Liver and kidney.
Tuberculosis Prevention
1) Preventing the infection depends on how well you cover your mouth when you sneeze, or cough.
2) the mask is required for the people during the initial weeks of the treatment.
Vaccine
To protect yourself you need to get the BCG vaccine. But, there is minimal guarantee like after getting the vaccine you will be protected completely against the infection. Doctors recommend this vaccine to those who have an active infection with a medicine resistant strain.
Bottom-line
The recovery of a patient depends on several factors like your overall health, the severity of the infection, and how well your health is responding to the treatment. Keeping your mind calm and away from stress may help you more.