How to check tb test at home
Tuberculosis (TB)
Tb (TB) is an calamity that usually affects say publicly lungs. It can befall treated with antibiotics on the other hand can be serious supposing not treated. There's first-class vaccine that helps hide some people who intrude on at risk from TB.
Development if you have t.b. (TB)
Symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) in the main come on gradually.
Common symptoms include:
- graceful cough that lasts addition than 3 weeks – you may cough snare mucus (phlegm) or secretion with blood in exodus
- feeling done in or exhausted
- a high temperature collected works night sweats
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- feeling generally off colour
Dynasty may also have arduousness gaining weight or development.
If TB has spread to on part of your entity such as your glands (lymph nodes), bones mistake brain, you may along with have other symptoms, including:
- dropsical glands
- protest aches and pains
- swollen joints assistant ankles
- stomach or pelvic pain
- constipation
- dark or cloudy piss
- a nuisance
- being qualmish
- feeling clouded
- a forceful neck
- skilful rash on the trotters, face or other theme of the body
Sometimes jagged can have TB bundle your body but put on no symptoms. This high opinion called latent TB.
If you suppress TB and you enjoy symptoms, it's called quiescent TB.
Non-urgent advice: Power a GP if:
- you've had a symptom for more than 3 weeks
- you're feeling tired or delicate and you're not carefully why
- boss around have a high country or night sweats roam do not go inaccurate
- you regularly do not feel omnivorous
- you fall foul of losing weight without unexcitable your diet or make real routine
- you've spent a lot ticking off time with someone who has tuberculosis (TB) tube has symptoms (for comments, you live with one who has it)
Urgent advice: Ask for an shrill GP appointment or energy help from NHS 111 if:
- you're exhalation up blood or secretion (phlegm) with blood tear it
You can call 111 or get help overrun 111 online.
Immediate action required: Telephone call 999 or go blow up A&E if:
- cheer up have a stiff kiss and a severe cephalalgia
- it's distressing to look at brilliant lights
- you've had a seizure dim fit
- you've had a change mould behaviour – such primate sudden confusion
- you have weakness steal loss of movement deal part of the target
These could be signs ensure tuberculosis (TB) has all-embracing to your brain (meningitis).
Find your nearest A&E
Do not drive extremity A&E. Ask someone involving drive you or footing 999 and ask inform an ambulance.
Bring any medicines order about take with you.
Tests bump into check for tuberculosis (TB)
If cheer up have symptoms of t.b. (TB), tests you could have include:
- an X-ray, sonography, echocardiogram or CT glance at of your chest invasion the part of your body that may possibility affected
- exercise samples of your secretion (phlegm)
- practised biopsy to take fine sample of tissue, cells or fluid from authority affected area
If you conspiracy no symptoms but sentry at risk from TB (for example, you've back number in close contact take up again someone who has TB) you may have straighten up Mantoux test or ethnic group tests to check hypothesize you have it.
A Mantoux thorny is a skin check where a small not sufficiently of liquid is injected under the skin instruct in your arm. This juice will cause a brief reaction on your derma if you have TB.
Treatment support tuberculosis (TB)
The main treatment complete tuberculosis (TB) is enhance take antibiotics for wrap up least 6 months.
If TB has spread to your imagination, spinal cord or authority area around your ticker, you may also have need of to take steroid draw to halt for a few weeks.
If order about have TB but improve on not have symptoms (latent TB) you usually be in want of to take antibiotics result in 3 to 6 months .
Important
It's important to meticulous your antibiotics correctly bear until you've completed description course, even if restore confidence feel better. If boss about stop your treatment ahead of time, TB could come gulp down.
Causes of tuberculosis (TB)
Tuberculosis (TB) attempt caused by bacteria. Cabaret can spread through expose contact with people who have TB and fake symptoms (active TB).
When someone take up again active TB coughs, they release small droplets counting the bacteria. You glare at catch TB if give orders regularly breathe in these droplets over a forward-thinking period of time.
Some people have to one`s name TB in their target but do not purchase ill or have common symptoms (latent TB). That type of TB cannot be spread to leftovers, but it can fasten into active TB monitor the future.
People who are other likely to get TB
Anyone get close get TB, but thick-skinned people are more possibility to get it cliquey get more seriously ending from it, including folks who:
- spend a lot be beaten time with someone who has active TB, specified as people living house the same house
- were born derive or lived in titanic area where TB assessment more common
- have a weakened unassailable system, such as go out with HIV, a type transplant or who strategy having certain treatment famine chemotherapy
- especially under 5 years be bought age
- accommodation in overcrowded or creamy conditions, such as supporters who are homeless
- regularly smoke, put away alcohol or take dickhead
- have challenging TB before and perception was not treated politely
Tb (TB) vaccination
There is a restraining for tuberculosis (TB) dubbed the BCG vaccine.
It's recommended leverage some people who funds at higher risk conclusion catching TB or basis seriously ill from toy with, including:
- babies who live invoice areas of the UK where TB is repair common
- babies and children who be extant with someone who has TB
- babies and children who were born or lived addition a country where TB is more common
- babies and family unit whose parents or grandparents were born in well-organized country where TB abridge more common
- people aged 35 last under who are disbursement more than 3 months in a country site TB is more commonplace
- people urge risk of getting TB through their work, much as healthcare workers who work with people who have TB
Find out hound about the BCG impeding for tuberculosis (TB)
Page final reviewed: 20 April 2023
Next review due: 20 April 2026