Tuberculosis: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Tuberculosis: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infection that usually attacks your lungs. It can also spread to other parts of your body, like your brain and spine.

Tuberculosis Signs and Symptoms

Latent TB doesn’t have symptoms. A skin or blood test can tell if you have it.

Signs of active TB disease include:

• A cough that lasts more than 3 weeks
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• Feeling tired all the time
• Night sweats
• Chills
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss

Tuberculosis Treatment

Your treatment will depend on your infection.

• If you have latent TB, your doctor will give you medication to kill the bacteria so the infection doesn’t become active. You might get isoniazid, rifapentine, or rifampin, either alone or combined. You’ll have to take the drugs for up to 9 months. If you see any signs of active TB, call your doctor right away.
• A combination of medicines also treats active TB. The most common are ethambutol, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and rifampin. You’ll take them for 6 to 12 months.
• If you have drug-resistant TB, your doctor might give you one or more different medicines. You may have to take them for much longer, up to 30 months, and they can cause more side effects.

Source: webmd.com