7 early symptoms of TB you shouldn't miss

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This is an insidious disease: its first signs can be confused with a simple malaise.

The best way for Early TB detection to catch the onset of the disease is to undergo fluorography or skin tests (for example, Mantoux) annually. But if for some reason you missed the test, the option remains to recognize tuberculosis by its early symptoms. This will help you survive.

According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis is one of the 10 most common causes of death in the world today.

But let's start with something more important.

Why you need to do fluorography or skin tests, even if everything is fine with you

There is a high probability that you are already infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis - Koch's bacillus. You just don't know about it. And don't find out if you fail the diagnostic test.

The fact is that doctors divide tuberculosis into two forms of Tuberculosis.

1. Latent (hidden) form

Not all infected people get sick. The immune system in many people is strong enough to suppress the activity of tuberculosis bacteria. As a result, there is Koch's bacillus in the body, but there is no tuberculosis. However, he can prove himself.

Approximately two billion people around the world have latent tuberculosis.

The probability that the latent form will develop into an active one, according to the WHO Tuberculosis, is 5-15%. The risk is increased if you are faced with a condition that lowers your immunity. This can be pregnancy, liver and kidney disease, diabetes, malnutrition (addiction to strict diets), smoking, cancer, or HIV infection.

Since a decrease in immunity sometimes occurs quite quickly, it is worthwhile to find out in advance whether you are infected with a latent form of tuberculosis. With this information, your doctor will be able to suggest preventive treatment for you. This will prevent Tuberculosis (TB) from becoming active.

2. Active form

It occurs when the immune system cannot contain the growth of the number of bacteria. Having this form of the disease, a person not only risks his own health, but also actively infects others.

7 early symptoms of tuberculosis

The latent form is asymptomatic and does not affect health in any way. Active symptoms are present, but they develop gradually. It is often easy to confuse them with a simple indisposition. If you already know that you have a latent appearance, watch especially carefully for possible signs of tuberculosis. However, if you do not know, also try not to miss them.

1. A cough that does not go away for 3 weeks or more

If you suddenly began to cough, obsessively and, at first glance, for no reason, be sure to contact a therapist or do fluorography. This is one of the clearest and earliest symptoms of lung problems that tuberculosis causes.

Of course, there may be other reasons for the cough - for example, seasonal allergies or allergies to dust, chronic bronchitis, too low humidity in the room. But this is the very case when it is better to overshoot.

2. Chest discomfort

Not necessarily pain - it can be discomfort when coughing or inhaling. If they are combined with a lingering cough, this is an unambiguous indication for a visit to a therapist.

3. Subfebrile temperature

This is the name of a strange state, when it seems that there is no heat, but the thermometer stubbornly shows 37–37, 5 ° С. Low-grade fever, like a prolonged cough, does not necessarily signal tuberculosis. But these symptoms in combination definitely indicate the need to consult a doctor.

4. Unexplained weight loss

Unexplained - this means that you did not change your lifestyle, did not limit your diet, did not start killing yourself in the gym, and the weight crawled down. And stubbornly and noticeably.

This is generally a dangerous symptom, even if you do not take into account tuberculosis. We lose mass when the body is low on calories. If we do not limit ourselves in them, it means that they are being eaten by someone or something inside our body. It can be anything from worms and other parasites to a rapidly growing tumor or developing internal inflammation. For example, tuberculosis.

5. Chills, increased sweating

You are either cold or, on the contrary, sweating. This state is familiar to women experiencing or entering menopause. But if you are still far away from that, he is left behind or you are a man, do not ignore the hot flashes.

It is especially significant if you sweat at night - this happens with developing tuberculosis.

6. Decreased appetite

You may not yet guess about the disease, but the body is already trying hard to overcome it. And it spends the maximum of available energy on it, borrowing it from other systems. Often the digestive system suffers first - we begin to eat less so as not to waste precious energy on digesting food.

An unexplained loss of appetite, even if it is not accompanied by other symptoms, is a good reason to listen to yourself and, if possible, consult a therapist.

7. Weakness, fatigue

On the one hand, this state is absolutely natural - for those who work hard or combine work with raising children. On the other hand, the feeling that the strength is over and for some reason do not want to recover is perhaps the most common symptom of a number of disorders, including deadly ones. This is how cardiovascular diseases, and developing cancer, and serious metabolic disorders, and sluggish depression, and the notorious tuberculosis manifest themselves.

If laziness has suddenly become your second name, although you have never considered yourself a bummer before, report it to your therapist as soon as possible. And be sure to mention other symptoms, including those from the list above, if any.

What to do if you notice symptoms of tuberculosis

This has already been heard many times, but we repeat: immediately sign up for a consultation with a therapist. The specialist will listen to a story about your symptoms, look into the medical history and offer to do tests that will confirm or deny the preliminary diagnosis.

Perhaps, in your case, the cause of the ailment is not tuberculosis at all. And even if he is, then today this disease belongs to the curable (of course, when the process has not gone too far). It is only important to identify it early and start treating it. Don't hesitate.