The superspecialty of pulmonology focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of respiratory and lung disorders. Asthma, pneumonia, TB, and other serious chest infections are among the ailments that our doctors are skilled in treating.
Patients with lung cancer, COPD, sleep issues, and cystic fibrosis can receive bronchoscopies as part of our comprehensive care at Neelam Hospital. Our fully furnished pulmonary function laboratory allows us to provide our patients with the finest care possible.
In a complete setup, our team of professionals offers supplementary services like nutrition and respiratory treatment.
Types of Tuberculosis
There are two ways that tuberculosis manifests itself:
Latent TB: The germs in this type of TB are found inside the body, but they are unable to spread because of the immune system. In addition to not being contagious, patients show no symptoms or indicators. However, the infection is still there and has the potential to become active at some point.
Active TB: In this type of TB, the patient becomes ill as a result of the body's germs growing quickly. Through droplet infection, the infected person can undoubtedly infect others. Most adult active cases are typically the result of a latent TB infection.
Symptoms of Tuberculosis
Anywhere in the body, the following are typical indications of active tuberculosis:
- A low-grade fever that rises in the evening
- Hunger and weight loss
- Sweating at night
- Weariness
Then, the following are the lung-related symptoms:
- Extended Cough
- Cough mucus
- Sputum with blood in it
- Chest pain during coughing or breathing
- Breathlessness
Causes of Tuberculosis
The bacteria responsible for tuberculosis spread from person to person through airborne droplet infections. The spread of the droplet infection occurs when an individual with the untreated and active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs, or sings. Although tuberculosis is transmissible, it's not easy to restrict the infection. Patients are more likely to contract tuberculosis from a coworker or family member than from an outsider.
Risk Factors of Tuberculosis
Although anyone can contract tuberculosis, some variables can raise the risk, such as:
Immune system weakness: can be caused by a number of illnesses and drugs, such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, some types of cancer, kidney disease, etc.
Other associated factors are:
Substance abuse: Using intravenous drugs or drinking too much alcohol weakens a person's immune system and increases their risk of developing tuberculosis.
Using tobacco: The chance of developing tuberculosis is significantly increased by tobacco use.
Working in the medical field: Frequently interacting with individuals who have tuberculosis significantly raises the risk of exposure to TB bacteria because of overcrowding and inadequate ventilation; this risk can be decreased by using a mask and washing your hands frequently.
Complications from Tuberculosis
The following are complications brought on by tuberculosis:
Spinal discomfort: One of the common side effects of tuberculosis is persistent back pain and spasms.
Joint damage: TB-related arthritis, also known as tuberculous arthritis, typically affects the hips and knees. Meningitis, or swelling of the membranes enclosing the brain, can result in a headache that lasts for weeks at a time.
Issues with the kidneys or liver: The kidneys and liver aid in removing waste and contaminants from the bloodstream. These organs' ability to function can be hampered by tuberculosis.
Heart disorders- Although rarely but tuberculosis can affect the tissues that surround the heart, causing inflammation and fluid accumulation, thereby interfering with the heart's efficacy in pumping the blood. This condition is called cardiac tamponade and turns out to be lethal.
Prevention of Tuberculosis
A person who tests positive for a latent TB infection may be advised by their physician to take medicine on a regular basis to lower their chance of developing active TB in the future. Only active tuberculosis is toxic and communicable.
Protection of friends and relatives
It usually takes a few weeks of consistent TB drug treatment for an individual with active TB to become non-contagious. The following guidelines should be followed to prevent friends and family from getting infected:
Remain at Home: Because they are extremely contagious and can spread the infection to others, patients with infections are advised not to sleep in a room with other family members or visit places of employment or education during the first few weeks of therapy.
Ventilate the space: In compact, enclosed areas with inadequate ventilation, germs can proliferate more readily. It is advised to open the windows and use a fan to obtain adequate ventilation in order to prevent this.
Cover your mouth: To stop bacteria from spreading throughout your mouth when you laugh, sneeze, or cough, cover your mouth with tissue paper or a handkerchief.
Put on a face mask: During the first three weeks of therapy, wearing a face mask reduces the chance of transmission when other family members are nearby.
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