Tuberculosis is curable especially when diagnosed in the early stages. Successful treatment involves taking all medication at the correct times and for the duration prescribed by your doctor or other healthcare provider.
Treatment for tuberculosis usually involves a combination of antibiotics taken for 6 to 24 months. Additional treatments like physical therapy or surgery may be indicated to help relieve symptoms in cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB).
Quarantining during the first few weeks of treatment is essential in order to prevent transmission as well as reinfection.
Treatment guidelines
Tuberculosis is curable by taking the following steps:
1. Consulting a doctor as soon as symptoms arise
To make sure tuberculosis is cured as quickly as possible, it is important to consult a pulmonologist or your primary care provider at the first sign of symptoms.
It is important to be aware of the common symptoms of tuberculosis, such as persistent cough and low-grade fever, pain with breathing, and night sweats.
2. Completing the entire treatment course
Tuberculosis is curable by taking medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor and being sure to complete the entire treatment course. This usually involves a combination of antibiotics prescribed to eliminate the bacteria.
These antibiotics should be taken for the duration indicated by your doctor, even if your symptoms improve sooner. This is important for avoiding antibiotic resistance that could result in a longer treatment course.
3. Taking all medications at the correct times
Taking all medications at the correct times, as prescribed by your doctor or other healthcare provider, is necessary in order to eliminate the tuberculosis bacteria and cure the infection.
Make sure to talk to your doctor if you experience any side effects from your medications. Taking antibiotics after a meal can help prevent side effects like stomach pain or discomfort.
Do not stop taking these medications without first consulting your doctor.
4. Attending regular follow up appointments
While being treated for tuberculosis it is important to keep all scheduled follow up appointments with your doctor and healthcare team. This may involve monthly appointments to make sure the treatment is working and to evaluate for any side effects.
These appointments are used to confirm that the patient is taking their medications correctly and to order lab tests to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. Both are very important in reaching a cure.
5. Completing all exams as ordered by your doctor
Certain tests like sputum smear microscopy and thoracic spine x-ray are important for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment and need to be completed once a month or as ordered by your doctor or other healthcare provider.
Through these studies your doctor can identify whether or not the current course of antibiotics is working to eliminate the infection or if different antibiotics or hospitalization is required.
6. Avoiding contact with other people
Avoiding contact with other people by quarantining for the first 15 days of treatment also helps cure tuberculosis by preventing transmission as well as reinfection.
In addition, it is important to avoid public spaces and enclosed areas during the first 2 to 3 weeks of treatment.
Duration of treatment
Tuberculosis is curable after about 6 to 24 months of treatment, which is the typical duration of antibiotics prescribed.
Treatment should not be interrupted without first consulting a doctor, even if you start to feel better. Stopping treatment early can result in antibiotic resistance, resurgence of the disease, or further complications, in addition to increasing the risk of spreading tuberculosis to others.
Is tuberculosis contagious?
A person with tuberculosis is no longer considered to be contagious 15 to 30 days after starting treatment, meaning it is no longer necessary to remain in isolation after this time.
Symptoms usually improve after the second month of treatment, however it is critical to continue the course of antibiotics until lab tests are negative or your doctor suspends treatment.
In the case of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), in which bacteria reach other parts of the body like the intestines or the bones, the individual is not considered to be contagious and does not need to be isolated while undergoing treatment.
Vaccine recommendations
While common in other countries, the tuberculosis vaccine is not generally used in the United States. It is only recommended in specific situations and in consultation with a tuberculosis or infectious disease expert. Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.
The tuberculosis (TB) vaccine can cause false positives on a TB test, so make sure to tell your healthcare provider if you or your child has been previously vaccinated. The TB vaccine can protect against more serious forms of active TB disease and its effects wear off over time.