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Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium. It may cause disease in any
part of the body but the lung is the usual site, where the bacterium
slowly destroys the tissue of the lungs - this is called pulmonary tuberculosis. Only TB of the lungs or throat can be - but are not always - infectious.
The most common symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis are:
- A cough that lasts for more than three weeks. This may start as a
dry irritating cough, which may be no different from that suffered
in any chest infection. The cough of tuberculosis will continue for
weeks or months getting progressively worse. After a while profuse
amounts of phlegm may be brought up from the chest with each cough.
If a blood vessel is damaged blood may be coughed up. The cough of
severe tuberculosis may be uncontrollable causing the patient to
have spasms of wracking continuous coughing.Sometimes the patient will complain of pains in the chest which
will be made worse by coughing. In severe cases, where much of the
lung has been destroyed, breathlessness may occur.
- Loss of weight for no obvious reason - initially weight loss can be slow but a person with TB can lose several kilos in a few months.
- Fever
- Heavy night sweats. Temperatures
which accompany the disease often occur at night causing the patient
to sweat profusely, so badly that it may be necessary to change all
the bed clothes in the middle of the night.
- Fatigue/a general and unusual sense of tiredness and being unwell
- Loss of appetite
All of these symptoms may be signs of other problems, but if you have three or more of these symptoms you should visit your doctor.
TB in other parts of the body can cause swellings and pain. If swelling and pain in any joint or area of the body is accompanied by any two other symptoms of TB you should visit your doctor.
You may find this leaflet useful.
If you have any more questions about TB you can call our helpline on 0845 456 0995 Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm. But remember, if you are experiencing three or more symptoms of TB visit your doctor!
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