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Last Updated: Oct 23, 2019
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Tuberculosis - 7 Signs That Confirm You Are Suffering From It!

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Dr. Shiba Kalyan BiswalPulmonologist • 18 Years Exp.DM - Pulmonary Med. & Critical Care Med., MD - Internal Medicine, MBBS Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
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Tuberculosis is an airborne communicable disease that mainly affects the lungs. However, it can attack the other organs as well. A tuberculosis infection may be clinically active. People showing symptoms of the disease are said to be suffering from a clinically active form of tuberculosis and must seek medical attention as soon as possible.

The symptoms of tuberculosis may be hard to identify as they can be attributed to other causes as well. In some cases, the symptoms may not appear until the disease has reached an advanced stage. Some of the common symptoms associated with this disease are:

  1. Weight loss
  2. Fever
  3. Dry cough
  4. Excessive sweating at night
  5. Unexplained tiredness
  6. Poor appetite
  7. Chest pain

People with a weakened immune system such as those suffering from HIV or those undergoing chemotherapy have a high risk of suffering from this condition. When the disease is in its active form, tuberculosis causing bacteria multiply rapidly and attack the lungs. From here they may spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, kidneys, bones, spine, brain and skin. When it reaches an advanced stage, the symptoms vary according to the organ affected. For example, pain in the bones indicates that the bone tissues have been affected while coughing up blood is a sign of TB of the lungs.

An x-ray and a lab analysis of your sputum can help in diagnosing tthe clinically active form of this disease. 

Clinically active tuberculosis can be easily treated and cured as long as the patient undergoes the complete course of treatment. Treatment for this disease usually takes the form of oral medication that must be taken for six to nine months continuously. This is because tuberculosis causing bacteria can take a very long time to die. In some cases, multiple drugs may be prescribed to reduce resistance to the drugs. When it comes to tuberculosis it is important to continue taking medication for its full course, even if the symptoms disappear and you are feeling better.

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