India’s Concern Called Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis or TB in India is one of the top most concerns which still affect the health sector of the country. India has the highest burden of TB cases in the whole world. Out of the total of 9 million cases of Tuberculosis in the world, 2.1 million cases exit in India. The figures, which were released by the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), also state that an alarming 40% of the Indians suffer from TB. Let us look at some of the reasons which put India in this seat of infamy.

The average living conditions in India is ideal for the TB bacteria to grow and spread. With 21.9%, of the total population, living below the poverty line, the stage gets set for unsanitary conditions, cases of poor nutrition and compromised immune system. In fact the lack of proper nutrition during the period of treatment is a very prominent reason for cases of relapses and failures in Tuberculosis Treatment. The large population of India also makes containment of the disease a difficult affair.

Another important factor, which makes a devil out of Tuberculosis in India, is the lack of awareness about the disease. Most of the TB patients wait till they are in the later stages of the disease. The similarity, of the symptoms with the common cold, often deters and delays visits to the Pulmonologist or Lung Specialist. It is a serious matter requiring immediate attention as Tuberculosis kills 50% of the infected, if left untreated.

Play your part in India’s fight against Tuberculosis. Visit your nearest center for Tuberculosis Treatment and get expert advice on the same. Also, any signs of cold should be taken seriously and followed with a visit to a Lung Specialist. If you wait too long, you may discover the wolf called TB in a sheep’s clothing.    

Steps in Tuberculosis Treatment

Tuberculosis (TB) is defined as an infection due to the various strains of mycobacteria. Although predominantly found in the Lungs, cases of TB infecting other parts of the body are also present. Tuberculosis Treatment takes a long time, which usually ranges from six to nine months. But fortunately, it is completely curable. Let us look at some of the most common steps which make up the process of Tuberculosis Treatment.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis is of much importance in TB Treatment as for it to be effective; various things about the type of TB have to be considered. This is because different types of TB react in different manners to different drugs. For example, the methods of Latent Tuberculosis Treatment and those of Active Tuberculosis Treatment are different. Also, a lot depends on the area of infection.

Prescription

The diagnosis will lead to the appropriate prescription then. The prescription, apart from the type of TB, also depends on the level of drug resistance. Better researches have led to the discovery of various combinations of drugs to tackle the problem of multi drug resistance. The development of multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis has made the requirement of consultation by a Tuberculosis Specialist even more vital.

Care during the Medicine Course

The speed, at which the course of medicine reacts, depends on a lot of other things too. The most important, among them all, is a nutritious diet. Adequate levels of vitamins and other nutrients are required for the body to be able to properly fight back Tuberculosis. Proper rest is another important requirement to ensure effective recovery.

Due to the long period of Tuberculosis Treatment and the nature of drugs used, the risk for side-effects is also very high. If you feel loss of appetite, vomiting tendency, nauseated, or cramps (especially in the stomach area), instead of stopping the medicines, consult your Tuberculosis Specialist immediately.

Things to Take Care in Tuberculosis Treatment

Tuberculosis Treatment requires expert and timely handling due to the nature of the disease. The first difficulty arises in the very detection of the disease as it has the capability of lying in the dormant stage. Secondly, although Tuberculosis or TB mostly attacks the lungs, it has been known to attack other parts of the body as well. Some of the things, which you need to take care of during Tuberculosis Treatment, have been discussed here.

Promptness

The most important step is to show promptness in the visit to the Tuberculosis Specialist. In every 10 cases of latent Tuberculosis, 1 becomes active and 50% of such active cases become life-taking, if left untreated. A prompt visit, to a Tuberculosis expert, will ensure that treatment is started before the infection takes a deadly turn.

Long Lasting Fever Needs Check-up

A fever is never a disease of its own but the body’s reaction to some other ailment, which can be TB also. Fevers, especially those accompanied by chills and sweating, fatigue and loss of appetite, have a high probability of being cases of Tuberculosis.

Lookout for side-effects

Although popular medicines, for TB, like Bedaquiline, Linezolid, etc., are available, it is highly recommended against getting them without a consultation by a TB Specialist. This is because, although rare, chances of side-effects exist. These include Jaundice, nausea, vomiting, etc. Only a proper examination, by a TB Specialist, can ensure a prescription where the chances of these side-effects are minimized to a negligible level.

The above are some of the things, to be taken care of, for a quick and effective Tuberculosis Treatment. The number of deaths, which TB still claims, emphasizes that it is, by no means, wise to take symptoms of TB lightly.

How to Overcome the Challenge of Tuberculosis in India?

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest diseases in India. It claims around 1000 lives in India on a daily basis and it is a tragedy that we are yet to bring it under control. A WHO (World Health Organization) report in 2012, stated that India shared the highest burden of Tuberculosis in the world. There were 2.2 million new cases of TB in India out of the total 8.7 million cases in the world. Thus, India, with 17% of the global population, carries 26% of the global burden.

One of the reasons, which are creating complications in effecting a better control over Tuberculosis in India, is the emergence of drug resistant variations of TB in India. Both the public and private health sector will have to play important roles in order for India to overcome the challenge of TB. The public sector needs to include newer technologies and testing methods which would increase the rate of detection. Sputum microscopy, currently being used as the primary tool of diagnosis, is notorious for missing out on half of the cases. These cases, when detected in their later stages, are much more difficult to treat. The private sector mostly gets the blame for inaccurate and expensive diagnostic tests. There are very few private Tuberculosis Treatment clinics which have the requisite infrastructure and technology to accurately diagnose TB. 

Both the sectors also need to take proper steps to generate awareness regarding Tuberculosis. The period of treatment is also crucial, as appropriate control of infection and better nutrition ensures better response to the medicinal course. “The medical fraternity is also eagerly waiting for the research on better vaccines against Tuberculosis to yield results. This would bring down TB cases in India”, says Dr. Himanshu Garg of Respiratory & Sleep Cure Solutions, a leading center for Tuberculosis Treatment in Gurgaon & Delhi.

Why Is Tuberculosis Still Prevalent and Taking Lives?

Tuberculosis or TB is one of the oldest Lung Diseases known to human kind. It has been present, in its latent or active form, since ancient times. Although the terror, which this disease had stroked in the earlier times, has been reduced drastically, TB was still associated with 1.5 million deaths worldwide in 2013. So, what is it about TB that even the availability of treatment is not able to stop it from causing deaths?

One of the prominent reasons, for the above failure to prevent Tuberculosis from taking lives, is the low reporting rate of TB cases. Estimates, of the total number of people infected with TB, are much lower than the actual figures. The symptoms of TB, it its early stages, are very similar to common cough and cold. The fact, that the TB Bacterium can lie dormant for years before becoming active, is another major hindrance in its control. The untreated cases of Tuberculosis play a big role in the total number of TB deaths as 50% of them end up in the death of the patient.

Another major reason, for TB’s effective turn into the fatal category, is the multi-drug resistance developed by various strains of mycobactria, the bacteria responsible for causing Tuberculosis. It requires an expert Tuberculosis Doctor to diagnose and treat Tuberculosis effectively.

The associated symptoms of TB, like chronic cough, night sweats, fever, weight loss, infection, etc., should be immediately put under the doctor’s scanner. This is because Latent Tuberculosis responds to medicine far more easily than Active Tuberculosis in its later stages. One, of the top clinics with Tuberculosis Doctors in Gurgaon & Delhi, is Respiratory & Sleep Cure Solutions. If you notice any of the symptoms of Tuberculosis, it is in your best interests to fix an appointment as soon as possible.