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Overview Of Tuberculosis Symptoms

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A Brief Overview Of Tuberculosis Symptoms And The Different Types

In most cases, people don't recognize tuberculosis symptoms until the pulmonary or extra-pulmonary condition has developed in its advanced stage. Thereby, regular check-ups are recommended for careful supervising of overall health.

What are Tuberculosis Symptoms?
Pulmonary tuberculosis or TB is a contagious bacterial infection which should be identified during its early stages to prevent the spread to other bodily organs and further advancement to a critical stage. This lung infection begins like most infections - without apparent manifestations. There are a few individuals who have strong body defenses that can defeat TB without having to take any measure, while other may develop tuberculosis symptoms such as dry cough, fever, cold sweats and irregularities which could only be seen with a chest x-ray.

Symptoms And The Different Types

Here are a few of the tuberculosis symptoms that a person may go through as the condition advances:

Feeling sick and extremely tired
Extreme weight loss due to lack of appetite
Difficulty breathing, which is mild at the start and then worsens gradually
Prolonged coughing with thick phlegm and traces of blood
Fever with temperature of 38°C (100.4 °F) and above

Extra-pulmonary Tuberculosis Symptoms and Types

Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis is considered once the condition worsens to more advanced stages and the infection actually begins to affect other areas of the body. People with low immune systems are usually the ones who develop such type of tuberculosis since their body is unable to defend the body from the infection.

Tuberculosis symptoms eventually lead to the identification of the following affected areas of the body: (a) lymph nodes near the lungs, (b) joints and bones, (c) the digestive system, (d) the reproductive system as well as the bladder, and (e) the nervous system.

The types of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis are discussed below as well as the related extra-pulmonary tuberculosis symptoms:

A. Lymph Node Tuberculosis
The immune system consists of small, oval glands called lymph nodes. They help eliminate harmful microorganisms, and other foreign intruder in your body. Signs of lymph node tuberculosis are persistent, painless swelling of lymph nodes under the chin as well as other nodes all over the body. This leads to a discharge of fluid from the epidermis.

B. Skeletal Tuberculosis
The most noticeable skeletal tuberculosis symptoms are bone pain, weakening of bones that cause curving and fracture of affected bones and loss of sensation or mobility of affected bones and joints.

C. Gastrointestinal Tuberculosis
The symptoms of gastrointestinal tuberculosis include blood traces from the anus, abdominal pain and looseness of the bowels.

D. Genitourinary Tuberculosis
Symptoms of tuberculosis which affects the bladder and reproductive system are groin pain, a constant urge to urinate at night, a burning sensation while urinating and traces of blood in urine.

E. Central Nervous System Tuberculosis
With the spinal cord and brain suffering from this type of tuberculosis infection, its symptoms consist of being sickly, inconsistent mental states or fits, stiff neck headaches and blurred vision.

A cough that lasts for 3 weeks or more, presence of blood or any of the symptoms of tuberculosis stated previously, should be instantly referred to your general physician to establish your overall condition.