Tuberculosis is a serious bacterial infection that affects the lungs. It is a rare condition in the United States, but when it occurs there are less than 200,000 cases each year. Tuberculosis can be prevented if you get a vaccine. It spreads with airborne droplets. When people sneeze, laugh, or cough, it can cause tuberculosis. A person who is infected with tuberculosis can spread it to someone else.
In order to find out if you have been affected by tuberculosis, you need to seek help from a medical professional. A medical professional will take imaging tests to see what is going on in your body. The results will come back that you have tuberculosis.
A lot of times when people have tuberculosis, they don’t have any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they will have a cough. If the cough gets worse, you’ll want to seek medical attention right away.
Here are eight known signs of tuberculosis.
1. Loss of appetite is a sign you have tuberculosis.
The bacteria infection is messing with your appetite. When you’re sick, it affects your appetite. If you wait too long to eat, you will get sicker. It is time to go to the doctor if you have not eaten for a certain period of time. With tuberculosis, blood and imaging tests will be taken. The doctor will prescribe antibiotics and a medicine to help with your appetite. While you are trying to get rid of tuberculosis, you’ll need to stay away from others because you can pass it onto them.
If you have to be around others, wear a mask. When your appetite comes back, you may want to eat in a separate room that no one else will come in. The room will need to be disinfected as soon as you leave out. The person cleaning the room will need to have protective clothing and a mask on as well.