According to an article published in The Times Of India, as throat and lung infections are uprising these days since the pandemic, doctors are alerting patients to be careful about the type of cough. While there is a type of cough that spike from allergy or seasonal changes, some types of cough also happen to be the symptoms of tuberculosis.
The main distinction between a cough generated due to TB and a persistent cough is the source from where it originated. While a common cough occurs due to an infection in the respiratory tract, cough due to TB happens due to a Mycobacterium infection caused by TB.
Differences Between The Two Types Of Coughs
Dr. Kuldeep Grover of Gurugram’s CK Birla Hospital says that to differentiate between these two types of coughs it is important to note their nature and duration. Everyone is aware that chronic and acute respiratory illnesses along with pulmonary TB cause coughs but, it is very important to know if you are suffering from the early stages of pulmonary TB or not. The two symptoms of a cough are the same so one needs to observe the nature of the cough.
Any cough that lasts over two weeks increases the chances that the patient is suffering from TB. But along with the two weeks duration of cough, one needs to be aware of other symptoms too in order to be sure. If a person also experiences night sweats, loss of appetite, fatigue, weight loss, fever, chills, or shortness of breath along with cough with or without blood then the chances of having TB become high. Under such situations, it is important to consult a doctor immediately so that it can be detected early.
Factors That Cause TB
There are many reasons for having TB. A TB-infected person can transmit the disease, weak immunity, improper diet, smoking, and even from chronic kidney issues.
Treatment
If a person is having TB for the first time then a minimum of six months of medication is required along with regular follow-ups. This will help in killing the bacteria inside the body and stop them from spreading any further or from reoccurring again.
If a person is having TB for the second time then eight to nine months of medication is required to kill the dormant germs inside. In case someone still suffers from TB for the third time then he needs to undergo multidrug resistance for curing the TB germs. This diagnosis and treatment are different from the first two times.
While undergoing the treatment the patient is advised to isolate himself from everyone as it is a highly contagious disease. Apart from that proper medication is a must to have without any gaps in the days as directed by the doctor. The room needs to be kept well-ventilated too so that enough air and light passes through it and makes breathing more relaxed. A healthy and rich diet is a must. And under no circumstances must the patient consume cold refrigerated food or stay in an air-conditioned room.
