How to understand that a person has tuberculosis. Tuberculosis: how to detect the disease at an early stage. How to detect tuberculosis in the later stages

Especially big risks get sick with this disease in autumn and spring.

You can get TB everywhere. It is enough that you have weak protective functions of the body and a patient with an open form of the disease sneezes on you. Then a huge amount of Koch sticks will enter your body.
There is a high risk of getting this disease in people who have: the body will not be able to resist the infection.
It greatly weakens the body of excessive and physical exertion.
The most pleasant environment for the reproduction of bacteria is damp, dark, unventilated rooms. These include prisons, places for the homeless, hospitals and even rented apartments.
Bad habits: alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking.
Immunity to tuberculosis is reduced by drugs that are taken for lung diseases, as they saturate the body with toxins.

At increased risk are:

Those who often come into contact with patients with "consumption";
people who live in terrible sanitary conditions;
those who live in countries where there are many people suffering from this disease (mainly Africa and Asian countries);
people with weak immunity (especially HIV-infected and cancer patients);
children;
diabetics;
those who are malnourished and often hypothermic;
people who are treated with intravenous drugs.

Symptoms

Tuberculosis in the early stages is difficult to determine. All this because the symptoms can be very diverse. Sometimes even a therapist does not immediately recognize tuberculosis, but may confuse it with SARS. We list the most common first symptoms of the disease.

The very first signs of the disease, when human body appears a large number of infections will:

Reduced performance;
fast fatiguability;
weakness (even in the morning).

Infected children will experience a decrease in school performance, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances. Often the temperature even rises, especially closer to the night. In the evening, a person may experience chills and heavy sweating.

With pulmonary tuberculosis, the primary symptom is a cough that does not go away for a long time. Initially it is dry, aggravated at night and in the morning. Further, the cough becomes wet and sputum begins to depart.

If blood appears in the sputum, this indicates a severe form of tuberculosis, which can later lead to pulmonary bleeding.

In such cases, immediate hospitalization of the patient is necessary. In addition to the above symptoms, there are other less common ones:

The patient may experience pain in the shoulders, joints, under the breastbone, pallor, and even indigestion.
Tuberculosis toxins can affect the heart, causing the heart to beat faster.
The patient may also begin to complain about headache and enlarged lymph nodes will be noticeable.
Causeless weight loss, lack of appetite, shortness of breath and even mood swings can become a signal of the body.

It is important to know that symptoms do not appear all at once. Often one or two appear. Therefore, if you notice at least one of them, you should not put off going to the doctor on the back burner and self-medicate. Remember that the disease in the early stages is much easier and faster to cure.

Forms

Many people are mistaken when they think that there is only pulmonary tuberculosis. There are other types that have their own symptoms.

Pulmonary tuberculosis.

It manifests itself in the form of a prolonged cough, chest pain, increased sweating, shortness of breath, weight loss. If these symptoms appear, see a doctor immediately.

Tuberculosis of the nervous system.

It entails apathy, increased pressure, swelling of the brain and fatigue.

Tuberculosis of bones and joints.

It can be identified by increased bone fragility, joint pain, and even curvature of the spine.

Tuberculosis of the genitourinary system.

Can be easily confused with normal inflammation. Only a qualified doctor can diagnose it.

Tuberculosis of the intestine.

There is indigestion. There are frequent pains in the abdomen, diarrhea and bloating. This form of the disease is fraught with intestinal obstruction, as a result of which bleeding will begin.

Lupus.

Few people know that there is even skin tuberculosis. If you notice that the color of the skin has changed, “pustules” have appeared, the lymph nodes have enlarged, contact a dermatologist or phthisiatrician immediately.

Diagnostics

Tuberculosis can be correctly diagnosed only after a visit to a phthisiatrician. The most common and easiest way to identify the disease is the Mantoux test.

A person is given an injection in the arm and after 72 hours they look at the injection mark. The diameter is measured with a ruler. A deviation from the norm indicates that it is necessary to further examine the body more carefully.
In the diagnosis of tuberculosis, doctors and patients often resort to x-rays of the lungs. But this method is not always accurate, because in addition to lung disease, there are many other forms of illness.

There are a lot of symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis, and some of them depend not only on the severity of the inflammation, but also on the patient's immunity, his age and even gender. All this makes the diagnosis quite difficult, especially on initial stages. Moreover, sometimes for a disease such as pulmonary tuberculosis, the symptoms in adults and children are practically indistinguishable from other diseases.

The Importance of Rapid Diagnosis

By identifying the signs of tuberculosis in the early stages, it is relatively easy to cure it without leaving any traces in the body. Late stages sometimes lead to the fact that the treatment is useless, and the disease becomes chronic. It is in the comparative invisibility of the process that one of the main dangers of tuberculosis lies. The body does not have time to respond to a small number of pathogens, and a sick person, as a rule, can learn about the existence of the disease only by chance.
For this reason, the timely detection of tuberculosis is very important for the sick person, who should know that at the very beginning the symptoms are very mild. And only later, when the disease has been in the body for some time, the symptoms of tuberculosis in adults become pronounced. From this moment on, you should carefully monitor your body to make sure that this particular disease is present and to see a doctor in time.

Main features

The main symptoms of tuberculosis at an early stage are manifested as a result of general intoxication the patient's body, which is why he takes these signs for the flu or SARS. Although, unlike them, the disease is characterized by a gradual deterioration in well-being. True, in a person with a strong immune system, symptoms may not appear until the deepest stages.

Cough
This symptom is one of the main signs of the disease. At first it is dry and is observed in the morning and in the evenings, but later it can become wet and almost constant. This is especially true of the off-season periods, in April-May or October-November. Cough is often accompanied by shortness of breath and severe pain in the chest. In the future, these symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis can manifest themselves in the patient almost until the very recovery.

Hemoptysis
Blood spitting is quite suitable for pulmonary and almost any other tuberculosis, the symptoms, description and features of which are best known to the doctor, who should be contacted immediately for hemoptysis, without trying to self-diagnose. Most often, the patient spits up blood after a coughing fit, and sometimes the symptom is accompanied by pulmonary bleeding, the appearance of which requires not only going to the clinic, but, as a rule, immediate hospitalization.

Weakness
They include the first symptoms of tuberculosis and such an indicator of the disease as general weakness. Patients complain of a noticeable decrease in efficiency and fatigue. Although often these signs are incorrectly mistaken for simple fatigue.

Elevated temperature

An increase in temperature to 37–37.5 degrees usually makes few people nervous, unless, of course, your child is sick. However, these are also sometimes the first signs of tuberculosis. Moreover, the temperature, although it does not exceed 38 degrees, however, keeps constantly, accompanied by sweating at night. However, sometimes the temperature can rise to 39 degrees - this means that the disease is moving to a more dangerous stage.

Other symptoms
When tuberculosis sets in, the symptoms, first signs, and other visible signs of the disease may appear as:

loss of appetite;
nausea;
headache;
enlargement of the lymph nodes.

Any such symptoms (especially 2-3 at once) lasting more than 3 weeks in the absence of other serious reasons should arouse suspicion and warrant a visit. medical institution. And already there, after the examination, it will be clarified whether these are signs of pulmonary tuberculosis or a consequence of the course of another disease.

Features of female and children's tuberculosis

Sometimes the symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in women may not be as severe as in men. However, the progression of the disease causes the symptoms to intensify, which causes severe suffering to those who are ill. Moreover, the older the woman, the more serious the symptoms and signs of pulmonary tuberculosis can be, and the harder it is to endure.
The development of the disease in children is also somewhat different from that which may occur in an adult. In addition to all the main signs, the child receives bad dream and extremely pale skin. The temperature stays at 37.5 degrees for 2-3 weeks, and the head hurts much more often than the signs of tuberculosis in adults suggest.

Definition by a doctor

Many people believe that only disadvantaged sections of society can get TB, which means that they do not even suspect the development of the disease in themselves. This is especially true for the male part of the population. Therefore, the first signs of tuberculosis in men may not be noticed by the patients themselves for a long time. Although at the first manifestations of such symptoms, one should immediately go to the hospital - even if the assumption about tuberculosis turned out to be wrong, the doctor will in any case help to determine the disease and prescribe treatment.

For initial diagnosis, auscultation and percussion are usually used, although they do not always cope with the definition of the disease by 100 percent. As a result, the correct diagnosis helps to make comprehensive examination including skin tests, x-rays and blood tests. In children, to prevent the disease, the Mantoux reaction is performed annually. Periodic fluorography helps to determine the signs of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults, which reveals even its imperceptibly flowing form.

Tuberculosis is characterized by a variety of manifestations and forms, due to which its diagnosis is complicated. However, early detection of the disease is of particular importance. The complexity of treatment, as well as the outcome, depends on this. If the disease is diagnosed at an early stage of development, there is a greater likelihood of saving the life of the patient. Diagnosis consists of several main stages: detection of symptoms, examination of the patient, conducting special studies.

At the first stage, when the patient only applied for medical care, the doctor must detect signs of the disease. To clinical manifestations tuberculosis includes persistent cough, hemoptysis, fever, sweating, fatigue and decreased performance. It is important to pay attention to these symptoms, as they indicate the possible development of the disease. In addition, at this stage, the characteristics of the evolution of the disease should be clarified. The doctor asks the patient about whether he had contact with people who have been diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Patient examination

During a clinical examination of the patient, the doctor draws Special attention for weight loss, check The lymph nodes, violation of the range of motion chest when breathing. Of course, the first methods for detecting tuberculosis are not completely reliable. To verify the development of the disease, it is necessary to conduct other tests. But it is these two stages that determine the need to refer the patient for a special examination. According to them, it is already possible to approximately draw up a clinical picture and put forward an assumption about the presence of an ailment.

Special Study

If tuberculosis is suspected during the examination of the patient at the first two stages, a series of studies will be required to establish an accurate diagnosis. In adults, examination for tuberculosis provides for the mandatory passage of x-ray diagnostics. According to her pictures, it is possible to determine the presence of lesions in the lungs. If they are present, the patient is directed to additional examination, which will reveal the form of the disease, the resistance of the infection to antibacterial drugs. Then he is given treatment.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis in children involves the Mantoux test. By her reaction, you can determine the presence of an ailment. However, this method is not completely reliable. The reaction may be false positive or false negative. If, after the Mantoux test, doctors still have a suspicion of developing an infection in the child's body, it is done again. If she confirms the existence pathological process, the child is sent for additional research to the TB dispensary.

These methods of diagnosing tuberculosis are intermediate. Some conclusions can already be drawn from them, but it is impossible to establish an accurate diagnosis. To finally verify the presence of the disease, you will need to conduct another study. It applies laboratory diagnostics tuberculosis: sputum, blood, urine tests.

X-ray examination

The most accurate diagnostic method in adults is the detection of tuberculosis by X-ray examination. In the case of the development of a pathological process, seals and blackouts will be noticeable in the pictures. As for the shadows, special attention should be paid to their number, size, shape, contours, intensity, structure, localization. In addition, the change in the lung pattern is important. Shadows can merge or have clear contours.

On x-ray images, the following degrees of damage can be determined:

minimal (small lesions, no signs of decay);
moderately pronounced (small changes occur, which do not exceed one lung in volume);
pronounced (the volume of lesions is large).

Mantoux test

Detection of tuberculosis, as a rule, in children, occurs using the Mantoux test. Its essence lies in the fact that the antigens of the pathogen are injected under the skin. Thus, the Mantoux test causes a reaction if a tuberculosis infection is present in the body. In this case, the injection site swells, reddens and becomes inflamed.

Tuberculin, which is injected under the skin during the Mantoux test, is obtained from the destroyed Koch sticks.

They are the causative agent of tuberculosis. The Mantoux test is usually done in the forearm. The body recognizes tuberculin as an infection. In the case when the immune system is familiar with it, a focus of inflammation appears at the injection site.

Another option is the Pirquet test. Its essence lies in the skin application of tuberculin. This substance in itself is safe, therefore it is not capable of harming a person. But tuberculin is highly allergenic, due to which it is able to cause appropriate reactions.

Before the result of the Mantoux test is evaluated, it is forbidden to influence the injection site in every possible way. Thus, it cannot be wetted, scratched, and also lubricated with brilliant green, iodine and other antiseptic preparations. It is not recommended to apply adhesive plaster and dressings, which some parents practice, so that the child does not touch the injection site. All this can adversely affect the results and lead to an inaccurate diagnosis.

Contraindications for Mantoux

Despite the harmlessness of the Mantoux test, in some cases it is not recommended to do it. Contraindications apply to those people who suffer from skin diseases. In this case, the injection can worsen the dermatological disease, lead to its exacerbation. You should not use this diagnostic method in the presence of infectious diseases in acute and chronic form. In this case, it is allowed to conduct a test one month after recovery. Contraindications are fevers and various allergic reactions, as well as epilepsy.

In order to avoid inaccuracies during Mantoux, it is recommended not to put it on the same day as vaccinations. Moreover, this applies to any vaccination. In the case when vaccinations were nevertheless made before the introduction of tuberculin, one should not expect results quickly. Most likely, they will be received only after six weeks. It is worth saying a few words about the main thing. Some parents mistakenly assume that the tuberculin subcutaneous test provides protection against tuberculosis by developing immunity. Such a statement is fundamentally wrong. The sample is only a test for the presence this disease. It is by no means a substitute for the BCG vaccine.

Sputum collection

Laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis includes the analysis of sputum, which is separated by coughing. The quality of the result largely depends on compliance with the rules during collection. There are several of them:

sputum must be collected in a sterile container issued by a doctor specifically for this purpose;
before collecting it is recommended to rinse the mouth well warm water, brush your teeth (food particles should not get into the sputum);
the collection is performed on an empty stomach, always in the morning, since it is at this time that its accumulation is maximum;
it is sputum that should get into the container, and not saliva (you can determine the contents by consistency and color);

When the basic preparations are completed, you can proceed to the process itself. First, two deep exhalations are made with a breath hold. After that, you should take a deep breath and exhale the air with force. Next, take a breath and cough again. The container is then brought to the mouth and the sputum is spit out into it. The container must be immediately closed with a lid. If the contents are not separated when coughing, you should tap your fist on the chest. Another option is inhalation over hot water in which a spoonful of baking soda is added.

Sputum examination

First, the sputum culture is closely examined. If a person has tuberculosis, he may have blood streaks in the mucus that is coughed up. Then a bacterioscopic examination is carried out - the stained sowing is examined under a microscope. By smears, you can determine the presence of infection in the body in adults and children. Sowing may contain elastic or coral fibers, lime particles. To identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis, sputum is subjected to repeated examination. Sometimes an x-ray examination does not show pathological processes occurring in the lungs, and sowing indicates their presence.

The essence of the bacteriological method is that the test material is sown on nutrient media. Before this, the sputum is processed to prevent the growth of non-specific microflora. Sowing is performed on a solid, liquid or semi-liquid nutrient medium. Sometimes mycobacteria, which are determined by this analysis, do not grow under these conditions. The reason for this is the loss of the ability to reproduce, which occurred under the influence of drugs.

In addition, a biological method is used to study sputum for tuberculosis - its essence is to infect animals with the mucous contents of the patient's lungs. For this, guinea pigs are usually used, which express high sensitivity to the mycobacteria of this disease.

Until recently, the bacteriological method was considered the most reliable, but scientists have found that Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is contained in sputum cultures, can grow on nutrient media, but does not affect animals in any way. It's all about losing the ability to infect. Thus, in order to obtain a reliable result, it is recommended to examine the sowing by several methods.

Bronchoscopy

If it is not possible to collect sputum on your own, bronchoscopy is used. The essence of the method is the use of a special device called a bronchoscope, which enters the bronchi through the oral or nasal cavity. Such a study is carried out on an empty stomach. This prevents food particles from getting into Airways if coughing or vomiting occurs.

Before conducting the study, the patient is examined by a doctor. If necessary, will be assigned sedatives. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia in adults and general anesthesia in children.

Blood test

How to recognize tuberculosis by the patient's blood? With the defeat of this disease, small changes occur in it. In patients with a common pathological process, as well as severe intoxication, anemia is determined. During exacerbations of the disease ESR indicator(erythrocyte sedimentation rate) increases. At the same time, the number of leukocytes changes, which is also facilitated by the decay of lung tissue.

A biochemical blood test shows a high content of protein, uric acid, cholesterol, and copper. It is worth noting that all these indicators do not necessarily indicate tuberculosis. It is possible that something else develops in the body infection. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis.

Urinalysis

Urinalysis is usually unable to detect TB in adults and children. A more accurate diagnostic method is sputum culture or Mantoux test. But to draw up a complete picture, it is necessary to conduct it. Sometimes a urinalysis reveals quite serious complications. If the kidneys are affected, a large amount of protein, erythrocytes, leukocytes is determined.

Diaskintest

This diagnostic method is new. It allows you to accurately determine tuberculosis, as well as to check the effectiveness of the therapy. The essence of the method is to assess the body's response to two types of proteins that are present only in the Koch rod. An injection is performed, and then the result is checked. If the redness at the injection site has spread to 5 mm or more, the test is considered positive. This means that the examined patient is infected.

In recent years, the incidence of tuberculosis has been on the rise.

In this regard, it is worth thinking about the means of protection against such dangerous disease. Every person, starting from the age of 18, must pass the annual medical checkup with x-ray examination. Only in this way it becomes possible to detect tuberculosis in the early stages of development, as well as timely treatment. If there are suspicions of the presence of the disease, it is urgent to consult a doctor, pass all the necessary tests (sputum culture, blood, urine). When prescribing treatment, you should not interrupt it, as this threatens with negative consequences. Tuberculosis is a dangerous disease, it can lead to death.

Despite the development of methods of treatment and diagnostics, tuberculosis remains one of the most common and dangerous diseases in the 21st century. According to statistics, it claims the lives of 3 million people a year. The insidiousness of the disease is manifested in the fact that from the moment of infection to the transition to acute form months pass, sometimes years. To notice the problem in the early stages, you need to know the signs of tuberculosis in adults, listen to the signals that the body gives.

Reasons for the development of the disease

The cause of the disease is the entry into the human body of a pathogenic bacterium - Koch's sticks. This microorganism can live in the human body for a long time without manifesting itself. Its activation, reproduction begins when the immune system crashes.

Among the factors provoking the development of the disease include the following:

drug use;
bad habits (smoking, alcoholism);
violations of metabolic processes;
unbalanced diet;
constant stress;
predisposition to respiratory diseases;
unsatisfactory sanitary and hygienic living conditions.

The period when Koch's wand lives in the body, but does not manifest itself in any way, is called incubation. During this time, the bacteria are constantly attacked by immune forces. If they cope well with their tasks, microorganisms die, the person remains healthy.

If the immune system fails, then about three months after the bacteria enters the body incubation period ends. The first symptoms of the disease appear, which will be similar to the signs of a common ARVI.

As the disease progresses clinical picture becomes brighter. There is shortness of breath with tuberculosis, other syndromes that allow you to suspect something was wrong. Often it is cough and respiratory disorders, blood elements among sputum that frighten the patient, make him go for examination to the doctor.

First signs

How is pulmonary tuberculosis manifested in the initial stages of development? Initially, an infected person does not notice any changes in the body. Gradually, Koch's sticks begin to actively multiply in the tissues of the lungs, provoking an inflammatory process.

The first characteristic symptoms:

weakness, lethargy, depression;
weight loss;
increased sweating at night;
deterioration in the quality of night sleep;
causeless dizziness;
blanching of the skin, the appearance of a permanent blush on the cheeks;
loss of appetite.

In the early stages constant temperature, coughing up blood, other characteristic symptoms of the disease are absent. These signs appear later, when the bacteria enter the blood.

As a rule, the first symptoms of the disease do not cause anxiety in a person, desire to see a doctor. So precious time is lost, during which the disease progresses into dangerous forms. As a rule, patients come for examination when additional, more “eloquent” signs appear.

How to detect tuberculosis at the initial stage? It is necessary to pay attention to such characteristic signs as periodic unreasonable fever, increased fatigue, mood swings. If any of these factors bothers you for three weeks or more, you need to visit a therapist. You should not explain the decline in strength by loading at work or failures on the personal front: this is how you allow the disease to progress and develop into dangerous forms.

How to detect tuberculosis in the later stages?

So how do you identify it? Tuberculosis symptoms become more pronounced when Koch's sticks penetrate the bloodstream, and the disease has affected a significant part of the lungs. The further the disease progresses, the more bright signs she shows herself.

These include the following:

persistent cough;
shortness of breath, which increases gradually after infection with tuberculosis, occurs even with minor physical activities;

wheezing, noted by the doctor when listening (dry or wet);
hemoptysis in tuberculosis;
chest pain that manifests itself with deep breaths or at rest;
elevated body temperature: up to 37 degrees or more;
painful glint of the eyes, pallor, flush on the cheeks.

The temperature in tuberculosis usually rises at night. There is a fever, the thermometer can show up to 38 degrees.

The symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults, manifested in the early stages, persist. This is a decrease in appetite, a sharp unmotivated weight loss (by 15 kg or more), weakness, increased fatigue, apathy. The patient notes increased irritability, his performance decreases.

What is the cough for tuberculosis? Three key characteristics can be distinguished:

Dry cough, which disturbs the patient mainly in the morning and at night.
Moist sputum is expectorated.
Cough does not go away for three weeks or more, despite the self-medication methods used.

A characteristic symptom of tuberculosis infection is hemoptysis. It occurs when the disease affects the lungs and damages the blood vessels. When the patient coughs, a small amount of fresh blood is released along with the sputum. If its amount per day exceeds 50 ml, pulmonary bleeding occurs.

Stages of development of the disease

Signs of pulmonary tuberculosis vary depending on the stage of development of the disease. Doctors distinguish four stages of its progression:

Primary lesion
Koch's wand enters the human body for the first time. This stage is typical for newborns and people with weakened immune systems. There are no pronounced symptoms, blurred signs of intoxication appear. Body temperature long time stays at 37 degrees or more.
Latent tuberculosis
The symptoms of a closed form of tuberculosis are unexpressed, they are similar to manifestations of ARVI or a cold. The patient's body actively fights the infection and suppresses it. A person is not contagious. During the development of closed tuberculosis, a periodic slight increase in temperature, increased fatigue, and apathy are possible.
Active disease
Open tuberculosis symptoms appear in full force: a person is worried about coughing, hemoptysis that occurs when bleeding in the bronchi, fever, weakness, loss of appetite, etc. This stage is dangerous for others: the patient becomes a carrier of the infection, he is able to infect other people.
Tuberculosis recurrence (secondary disease)
Under adverse conditions, a previously cured ailment is reborn. Bacteria “wake up” in old foci or a new infection occurs. The disease proceeds in an open form. There are signs of intoxication of the body and bronchopulmonary manifestations. Treatment of recurrent tuberculosis requires a long and powerful impact.

In order for the primary form of the disease to transform into an open one, the pathogen must spend more than two years in the human body. For its reproduction, there must be provoking factors. If they are not there and the immune system works well, Koch's wand dies a few days or weeks after it enters the respiratory system.

Video

Video - how to detect tuberculosis?

Symptoms of the extrapulmonary form of the disease

The disease can affect not only the lungs, so special attention should be paid to signs of tuberculosis in the extrapulmonary form. Symptoms depend on the organ in which the pathogen has settled. There are the following options:

Brain damage

This form of the disease most often develops in childhood or in an adult suffering from diabetes or HIV infection.

The main symptoms of the problem are:

headaches localized in the frontal and occipital lobes;
decrease in working capacity;
apathy;
worsening sleep quality, frequent nightmares;
decreased appetite.

Sweating in tuberculosis, which occurs at night, is another hallmark disease progression. As the disease progresses, dangerous symptoms- nausea and vomiting, tension of the occipital muscles, specific body postures, distortion of facial expressions, strabismus, etc.

If the symptoms and treatment of the disease are identified in a timely manner, the prognosis for the patient is favorable.. This is achieved thanks to a new generation of anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Gastrointestinal lesion

The patient feels pain in the digestive system, loss of appetite, nausea, constant fatigue, lethargy, increased sweating at night. If the disease has affected the intestines, there are false urges to defecate, stool disorders, blood impurities in the feces. If Koch's wand is localized in the stomach, appears constant thirst, belching, a person loses weight dramatically. The temperature in tuberculosis in the gastrointestinal tract can rise to 40 degrees.

Damage to joints and bones

This is a rare form of the disease, the symptoms of which are similar to those of arthritis, arthrosis. The patient experiences pain during physical activity, the range of motion of the affected limbs is limited.

Skin lesion

This is an infectious process that captures the dermis, epidermis and fatty tissue.

Its characteristic manifestations include the following:

the appearance of rashes;
excessive dryness of the skin;
frequent manifestations of allergies;
decreased immunity;
fatigue, lethargy of the patient.

At the initial stages, it is possible to develop tuberculosis without fever, then it rises to 37-38 degrees.

Damage to the urinary organs

Koch's stick is localized in the kidneys or bladder. Patients feel constant fatigue, apathy, complain of poor sleep, loss of appetite. Arise aching pain in the lumbar region, urination becomes difficult or, conversely, too frequent, it is accompanied by discomfort.

According to statistics, extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis account for 10% of all infections. However, their development is dangerous consequences up to and including death. Therefore, it is important to listen to what signals your body gives and consult a doctor in time.

Methods for diagnosing tuberculosis

Anyone can become infected with a dangerous disease, regardless of age and social status. It is not easy to recognize latent tuberculosis, pulmonary or extrapulmonary form of the disease, because the symptoms are similar to those of other pathologies. For diagnosis, special studies are required.

Initially, the patient comes to the doctor and complains. Particular attention should be paid to cough in pulmonary tuberculosis, which does not go away for more than 3 weeks, weight loss, shortness of breath, reduced performance. The doctor finds out whether a person had the opportunity to become infected with tuberculosis from someone from his immediate environment, whether there is a recurrence of tuberculosis or whether the infection occurred primarily.

Based on the examination data, no conclusions can be drawn, one can only suspect the disease. For an intermediate examination for tuberculosis in adults, an x-ray is recommended, which will show whether there are foci of infection and how they are localized.

Mantoux test is recommended for examination of children. This is an easy and safe method of exposure that does not lead to irradiation of the body. Tuberculin is injected into the child's forearm and the results are taken after three days. If the sample gives positive result, there are grounds for further diagnosis.

X-ray and Mantoux are not the basis for staging final diagnosis. More research is needed.

These include analyses:

sputum;
blood;
urine.

Having received the results of all examinations and comparing them with the characteristic symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in women and men, the doctor makes an accurate diagnosis. Its task is to determine the resistance of the pathogen to certain medicines and appoint effective methods therapeutic impact.

Open tuberculosis is a disease that is dangerous not only for the patient himself, but also for the people around him.

With absence proper treatment it can lead to death. Modern methods of therapy allow you to cope with a serious illness, the most important thing is to consult a doctor in time and follow all his recommendations and instructions.

Tuberculosis is considered a hidden disease. It is this factor that makes it especially dangerous for humans. Pathological disorders can affect patients of any age and gender. Timely diagnosis of tuberculosis is especially important. How to determine tuberculosis, we will consider in this article.

Indications for diagnostics

A particular danger of pathology lies in the fact that in the early stages of its development it does not show any signs of being present in the body. Despite the fact that symptomatic manifestations are not clearly expressed, the progression of the pathological process is actively carried out. How to detect tuberculosis? How to understand if a person has tuberculosis or not?

The first thing to do is evaluate the symptoms that appear:

dry cough that has a long effect;
in the process of expectoration, the release of sputum masses is not excluded;
the presence of wheezing;
stable increase in body temperature;
pallor of the skin of the face and a tired appearance of the patient;
loss of appetite and, as a result, weight loss of the patient;
shortness of breath with associated pain manifestations in the side;
excessive sweating.

Testing for tuberculosis in women is necessary after the detection of violations menstrual cycle, headaches of a permanent nature, the diagnosis of inflammatory processes in the bladder (cystitis) and the presence of bloody inclusions in the urine.

How to get tested for tuberculosis? Carrying out diagnostic measures requires new capabilities so that a complete and general examination for tuberculosis of a patient can be carried out. This is especially true for people belonging to the so-called risk group. Patients with a predisposition to tuberculosis disease include patients with a confirmed diagnosis of AIDS and HIV, people suffering from alcohol and drug addiction, those who have consistently high blood sugar levels, bronchial asthma. No less important is the hereditary predisposition of a person.

It is important to conduct a survey of newborn patients, provided that the mother is infected, as well as elderly people. How to detect tuberculosis? Currently, another category of patients is known - prisoners. They often become carriers of this disease. Disease detection measures will help prevent infection healthy people after the patient is released.

Varieties of diagnostic measures

Laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis implies the obligatory implementation of all instructions of the attending physician. Start diagnostic studies It consists in examining the patient and identifying the manifestation of symptoms. After the appearance of assumptions about the presence of tuberculosis in a patient, he is sent for a follow-up examination, which can subsequently make it possible to make a reliable conclusion.

There is a so-called special survey. Early diagnosis Tuberculosis in adults implies the mandatory passage of x-rays. On the obtained images, it is possible to identify foci of tuberculous pathology in the lung area. If such violations are detected, the patient is sent for additional measures that contribute to the identification of the form of the disease.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis in children involves taking a Mantoux test. Depending on the reaction received, a subsequent detection of tuberculosis is carried out and a final diagnosis is made. It should be noted that this method is not the most reliable, as the results may be false. That is why, if there is a suspicion of the presence of an infection in the body of a child, the reaction is repeated. If an infection is detected, the patient is sent for further diagnosis. Radiation diagnosis of tuberculosis is especially relevant in this matter.

All of the above methods are considered intermediate, but they make it possible to draw certain conclusions regarding the disease. In order to reach a final conclusion, a additional research, so-called differential diagnosis pulmonary tuberculosis. Let's consider the most common of them.

Radiography. X-ray diagnostics of tuberculosis is read as the most reliable method for detecting a pathological process. With a positive diagnosis, dark seals will be detected on the image. In this situation, it is important to pay special attention to their number, size, shape, contour and location on the area. internal organ. Among the degrees of damage, the following are revealed:

minimal - characterized by minor affected areas, signs of decay are not observed;
moderately pronounced - possible minimal changes, the volume of which does not exceed the size of one lung;
expressed - the volume of the lesion is significant.

Regardless of the nature of the changes presented in the picture, the patient is referred for subsequent methods for detecting tuberculosis.

Mantoux test. The method is most suitable for pediatric patients. The procedure involves the introduction of antigens of the causative agent of tuberculosis under the area of \u200b\u200bthe skin (obtained as a result of the destruction of Koch's sticks). After that, a reaction is provoked in the body in the presence of Koch's sticks in the body. In this case, the puncture site swells significantly, has a red tint, signs inflammatory process. There is also a Pirque test. It is an application to skin tuberculin. Due to the presence of an increased allergenicity in a substance, the body gives an appropriate reaction.

The Mantoux test has a number of contraindications. This is especially true for patients diagnosed with skin diseases, since the reaction can provoke a deterioration and exacerbation of the pathological process. In addition, it is forbidden to carry out the procedure if a patient has a febrile condition, allergic reactions body and epilepsy.

Sputum examination. Material for further study is released in the process of coughing. In the process of sampling, certain rules must be followed. First of all, the material must be collected in a special sterile container. Immediately before sampling, the patient must rinse the mouth with warm water, brush his teeth to exclude the possibility of food elements entering the analysis. The procedure is carried out in the morning and on an empty stomach, since during this period the accumulation of sputum will be maximum.

The very procedure of studying at the initial stage is the consideration appearance. In the presence of tuberculosis, it may contain blood streaks. The material is then examined under a microscope. The biological method of study is often used, which is characterized by the process of infection of animals (mainly guinea pigs).

Bronchoscopy for pulmonary tuberculosis is used when it is not possible to collect material for research on your own. For the procedure, a special device is used that enters the bronchial region through the nasal or oral cavity. Before the procedure, if necessary, the patient may be prescribed a sedative medication.
Blood study. With a positive diagnosis, when studying blood cells, anemia is detected, in the process of exacerbation of the pathology, the level of ESR increases. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of leukocytes due to the breakdown of lung tissue. It is important to carry out the diagnosis of tuberculosis in a complex, since a change in the parameters of urine characteristics may not always indicate the presence of tuberculosis in a patient.
Urine study. Usage microbiological diagnostics tuberculosis is carried out to establish a complete diagnostic picture. In addition, this method makes it possible to establish the presence of serious complications.

There are modern methods for diagnosing tuberculosis. Relatively recently, another method for determining tuberculosis was revealed. It has the name Diaskintest. The system helps not only to detect the presence of infection in the body, but also to determine the effectiveness of the therapy used. Of particular paramount importance is the immunodiagnosis of tuberculosis.

At severe forms diseases, an anti-tuberculosis technique called valvular bronchoblocking is used. It involves the installation of a valve through the use of anesthesia. The reliability of fastening is checked by coughing the patient. The removal process is carried out in a similar way.

Another method of diagnosis is fibrobronchoscopy. The method is considered sparing and is better tolerated by patients. The system makes it possible not only to study the condition of the bronchi, but also to save the information obtained during the study on a digital medium. The procedure is performed on an empty stomach, the patient is located on the surface of the couch in the supine position. The study process allows the collection of bronchial secretions through suction.

Procedures have certain contraindications. The main ones include pulmonary hemorrhage, asthma attacks, the presence of foreign bodies, a severe form of respiratory failure. To additional reasons prohibition should include ischemic heart disease, epileptic seizures and impaired blood clotting.

Currently, the incidence of tuberculosis is increasing significantly. For this reason, it is important to timely diagnostic measures, especially if patients in childhood are exposed to the influence of the pathological process. Thanks to the main methods for detecting tuberculosis, it becomes possible to form effective therapy. All available techniques make it possible to detect negative changes in the body in the early stages of the development of the disease. That is why early detection of tuberculosis is important.