Tuberculosis

Symptoms you may experience if you have TB include:

• persistent coughing that also produces phlegm
• high temperature/fever
• night sweats
• fatigue
• loss of appetite/weight loss
• swellings in the neck/glands

Your consultant will discuss your symptoms with you and help to make a diagnosis. Tests we offer to diagnose tuberculosis include:

• chest X-ray to examine any visible difference in your lungs
• CT, MRI or ultrasound scan to assess other parts of the body that may be affected
• urine and blood tests
• samples of your phlegm or tissue in the affected area
• inspection of your lungs with an endoscope (long, thin tube with a camera on the end)
• Mantoux test where a substance called PPD tuberculin is inserted into your forearm

In most cases, TB can be treated with a strong course of antibiotics. However depending on the type of TB there are different medications and treatment options available. Antibiotics for pulmonary TB are taken over a six month period. This is the same for extrapulmonary TB, though you may also be prescribed a corticosteroid injection for the first few weeks. This is to help reduce swelling. For latent TB in older patients, your consultant may prescribe a combination of antibiotics for three months. This is because too strong a course of antibiotics may cause liver damage.