Nowadays, despite the large selection of medications, many people are interested in the question: is tuberculosis curable forever or not and is it possible to completely overcome the open and closed forms of the disease? This question is undoubtedly relevant, because pulmonary tuberculosis is an infectious disease, the causative agent of which can be aggressive and unpredictable.
Respiratory tuberculosis is treated both at home and in a hospital setting. In this case, everything depends on the degree of damage to the lungs and the type of pathology. Modern medicine does not rule out that tuberculosis is curable - the main thing is that the patient strictly follows all the advice and recommendations of the attending physician.
Koch's bacillus is the main causative agent of pulmonary tuberculosis, which quickly penetrates the body and, spreading with the bloodstream, affects the cavity of the respiratory organs. Mycobacteria are most often spread by airborne droplets, which causes the development of an open form of the disease. Important: tuberculosis is treated with complex therapy, which directly depends on the form of the disease and the degree of its development in the body. Therefore, if you notice unpleasant symptoms, you should not self-treat the disease at home, as this will lead to aggravation of the disease.
You can become infected with dangerous mycobacteria by talking to a sick person, sneezing, coughing, or by staying in the same room with an infected person for a long time.
To accurately answer the question whether tuberculosis of any form can be cured or not, it is important to understand the cause of infection.
In addition to the penetration of Koch's bacillus into the human body, you can “catch” the infection in other ways:
- using only household items or things, since mycobacteria live on furniture and personal items for about 1 month;
- infection of the respiratory system through unprocessed food products - these include milk, poultry and animal meat, eggs, and so on;
- Living at home with people who were sick with tuberculosis, you can also become infected, because mycobacteria are considered tenacious microorganisms that adapt to any habitat.
Most often, tuberculosis affects the lung area, since it is easiest for Koch's bacillus to get there. However, at present, this pathology can also affect bones, liver, tissues and other human organs and systems. Important: respiratory tuberculosis is the only type of disease that is considered contagious. That is why the disease is completely cured only if therapy is followed and as a result of taking a certain group of medications, of which up to 5 can be prescribed, since modern mycobacteria are accustomed to the environment and many medications, so the pathogen can be destroyed with only a few medications.
Answering the question whether tuberculosis can be cured or not, it is worth noting that in this case everything depends on the speed of visiting a doctor, since Koch’s bacillus quickly multiplies in the lung cavity, affecting an increasing area of the respiratory organs every day.
Also, the degree and form of the disease, which become more dangerous and aggressive only in the absence of treatment, depends on timely access to a doctor.
Features of the disease
When asking the question whether it is possible to completely overcome pulmonary tuberculosis or not, doctors will undoubtedly answer - it is possible. However, despite the large selection of medications and methods of treatment at home using traditional methods, this pathology still remains very dangerous to health and even fatal. But still, many cases of treatment of pneumonia have proven that proper adherence to the doctor’s recommendations can quickly and permanently overcome the infection, since today there are drugs that negatively affect mycobacteria, which are endowed with a powerful destructive effect. Were there any cases when pulmonary tuberculosis was incurable? There were - this is mainly due to the fact that patients refuse to fully comply with the doctor’s instructions, and this only benefits Koch’s wand.
Important: 15 years ago, doctors confidently said that tuberculosis was curable, but now mycobacteria have begun to mutate greatly, which has led to the development of resistance of the pathogen to many drugs.
And, as you know, it was thanks to medications that the treatment of tuberculosis was positive. Therefore, today doctors have to prescribe several types of drugs, which together can have a detrimental effect on Koch’s bacillus. In addition, the patient will need to follow some rules at home to quickly overcome the disease.
These include:
- Performing special therapeutic exercises, which are often prescribed by the attending physician.
- Constant walking in parks and other areas where the air is fresh and clean.
- Compliance with therapeutic procedures that allow you to remove phlegm from the lungs, as well as cleanse the respiratory system of inactive mycobacteria.
- Eat properly with natural and healthy foods (at the same time, nutrition should be enhanced).
Also, the patient should not forget to take medications, which are important to take strictly at the same time. If this is not possible, it is important to change the dosage schedule yourself, and then be sure to show it to your doctor.
Tuberculosis is a disease that requires mandatory treatment. However, it will not be possible to completely overcome the pathology in a couple of months, so the patient must be patient.
Doctors say that this disease is much easier to treat than AIDS and cancer, so every patient should hope and believe that the disease will soon recede and you will be able to live a full life without denying yourself anything. The main thing is to follow all the doctor’s advice and under no circumstances stop taking medications, even if your condition and well-being improve. To get rid of the disease faster, you can try taking folk teas and infusions at home, which can remove mucus from the bronchi and also clear the airways of mucus.
Important: pulmonary tuberculosis, judging by photo fluorography, is not the most complex and intractable form of this disease.
When internal organs and tissues are damaged, patients require surgical intervention, which can give a 100% treatment result.
But the operation itself is also considered dangerous to health, so it is best to avoid it, especially since after surgery the patient will also need to take medications and undergo rehabilitation therapy.
How long is tuberculosis treated and how to avoid infection?
When asking the question whether tuberculosis is curable, it is worth noting that this disease has guarantees of recovery, but does not have a specific treatment period, since complex therapy is prescribed based on the degree of the disease and the general condition of the body. In addition, there were often cases when the infected person’s body was resistant to a certain group of drugs, which increased the duration of treatment. 
On average, pulmonary tuberculosis can be completely overcome within 5-10 months of persistent treatment. If during this time there is no improvement that can be seen in the fluorography photo, then the doctor is obliged to reconsider the treatment and prescribe more serious therapy, which is often carried out in a hospital.
Important: if there is no improvement in the treatment of pneumonia, the doctor may prescribe a climate change, since sea or forest air, as well as the correct daily routine, will help to quickly overcome the disease.
First of all, every person must remember that health depends on him. If you do not treat it negligently, the restoration of the lung cavity will go faster, especially with modern capabilities.
However, in order to avoid lengthy and complex treatment, you can try to avoid infection, which is quite simple to do.
To do this, you need to follow some safety precautions:
- try to spend as much time as possible outdoors, especially if you work in public places (if this is not possible, go out into nature on weekends or go for walks);
- thoroughly cook and boil all animal products;
- Wash your hands constantly after visiting public places;
- ventilate the room;
- try not to communicate with people who have had tuberculosis until you are sure that they have completed the entire course of treatment;
- Before moving into a new apartment, you should clean it thoroughly, since Koch’s wand often “lives” on household items and furniture.
If you notice unpleasant symptoms and the first signs of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor, since the open form of tuberculosis can infect others. To prevent this from happening, it is important to regularly undergo fluorography, take the necessary tests, and also lead a healthy lifestyle.
– a bacterial disease, where not only medical, but also social factors play an important role. People who have weak immunity, poor nutrition and unfavorable living conditions are most sensitive to the pathogen. The quality of life leaves its mark, due to which the development of the disease can accelerate or slow down.
Until the 20th century, this infection was called “consumption.” In those years there were no effective treatments, so it often became a death sentence for the patient. Mentions of symptoms go far into the jungle of history. Even in the manuscripts of the ancient Babylonians one can find descriptions of a disease that has a clear resemblance to what our contemporaries are now struggling with.
The causative agent of tuberculosis was identified in 1882 with the assistance of the German microbiologist Robert Koch. The significance of the discovery was so great that he was awarded the Nobel Prize, and the bacillus itself was nicknamed Koch's bacillus.
Advanced forms of the disease are fatal. Annual statistics showed the maximum number of deaths, the number of which could reach 3 million people per year. The greatest threat comes from the asymptomatic development of tuberculosis, since this significantly reduces the likelihood of a successful outcome.
Fact! Nowadays, one can notice a positive trend in reducing mortality among the population. This is due to the discovery of effective drug therapy and significant improvements in living conditions.
Open form - can it be cured?
Diagnosed by examining sputum and other secretions from an infected person. They easily find the causative agent of the disease - Koch's bacillus. If the test results are negative, then doctors conclude that the disease is a closed form.
The release of bacteria into the environment is the main criterion for the infectious danger posed by humans. It's so easy to get infected that even a simple conversation without protective devices can lead to a similar outcome.
The outcome is favorable if all necessary procedures are provided and antibacterial medications are prescribed. It should be remembered that tuberculosis is a serious disease that can affect most of the human body, leading to complications.
Most vulnerable pregnant women. If the slightest signs of the presence of bacteria in the body are detected, then the birth of the child will have to be forgotten, and an already induced pregnancy will be interrupted by medical intervention.
Illness in old age
The difficulties of treating tuberculosis in old age are of great importance for the development of medicine. At the moment, the mortality rate among older people is three times higher when compared with the same indicators among the younger part of the population.
Attention! Aging leads to a decrease in the body's ability to adapt to new conditions. Because of this, bacteria can cause irreversible consequences, and medications can have little effectiveness.
Another negative factor affecting the patient’s recovery is it is difficult to diagnose.
Many symptoms of a developing infection are masked by age-related changes. Even exacerbations often baffle an inexperienced doctor, which is why the wrong treatment is prescribed.
Other factors of diagnostic difficulties:
- atypical development of the disease;
- symptoms characteristic of other diseases;
- failure to go to hospital in a timely manner;
- erroneous interpretation of test results.
Treatment of the patient should be comprehensive and aimed at stimulating the capabilities of the aging body. If all rules and procedures are followed, we can talk about a favorable future prognosis, but even in this case, the disease will leave its mark, expressed in complications.
Breathing exercises: does it help or not?
Prescribing breathing exercises as an adjunct to medications is a widespread practice. It is due to the fact that patients often suffer from blockage of the bronchi.
Gymnastics helps increase the patency of the upper and middle respiratory tract. Some are simple exercises help rid the body of phlegm located in hard-to-reach places. In addition, compliance with the instructions allows a person to significantly increase their tone and improve their overall well-being.
The most common breathing exercise technique is. It is carried out in a well-ventilated room, and the patient must wear loose clothing that does not restrict his movements.
What influences success in treatment
A favorable prognosis for tuberculosis infection is influenced by timely and regular examinations of the body. The bacterium, found at the stage of asymptomatic development of the disease, responds well to treatment with antibiotics, and the body still has enough of its own strength to cope with the destructive consequences of its effects.
In addition, the patient must follow simple and accessible instructions:
- It is recommended to spend most of the day outdoors and in open spaces.
- Drinking alcohol and smoking is strictly prohibited.
- It is important to follow a diet that is high in protein and high in fat.
- Positive attitude in life and lack of stress.
Important! If the patient can spend less time in musty rooms, improve his hygiene, nutrition and switch to working in an open and ventilated space, then this will be an invaluable contribution to his recovery.
Diagnostic methods
The diagnosis can be established after procedures during which the causative agent of the disease is detected. It all starts with collecting anamnesis and analyzing complaints coming from the patient.
He will be scheduled for the following examinations:
- The most famous way to detect tuberculosis is the Mantoux test or Pirquet test. Tuberculin is applied under the skin or on it, and after that the body’s reaction to this irritant is monitored. It should be remembered that a tuberculin examination may indicate probable contact with Koch's bacillus, but does not confirm the presence of the disease itself.
- More accurate results can be obtained using the Diaskin test. It also applies to skin tests, but reacts exclusively to the causative agent of tuberculosis.
- Smear microscopy makes it possible to study the sputum produced when coughing.
- The polymerase chain reaction method is the most effective diagnostic procedure. With its help, any traces of Koch's wand are found in all biological fluids used by the body.
Modern methods of treatment
Treatment of tuberculosis in modern conditions includes not only work with drugs, but also the participation of a physiotherapist, a nurse with relevant professional experience, and direct assistance from the patient.
Uncontrolled use of drugs not only does not lead to positive results, but also increases the mortality rate, leads to regular relapses and will contribute to the emergence of tolerance to antibiotics.
The work of a physiotherapist helps reduce the amount of waste in the body. This can significantly improve the patient’s well-being and makes it possible to reduce difficulties in the respiratory processes. The functionality of the respiratory system gradually returns to its previous levels.
Treatment of tuberculosis includes several types of medical intervention:
- pharmacological;
- pathogenetic;
- collapsological;
- surgical.
Pharmacotherapy
The progressive nature of the disease and the enormous proliferation rate of bacteria lead to the rapid spread of tuberculosis in the blood, lymph and bronchi.
Foci of infection contain more than one type of pathogen. Each of them differs in metabolic rate, which is why the doctor needs to divide pharmacotherapy into two stages.
First, we are talking about quick and severe suppression of bacterial activity. First of all, they target those whose activity is the highest and poses the maximum level of threat to the body. When this stage is passed, then maintenance drugs are used, gradually reducing the amount of harmful elements that have less high metabolic activity.
All this time the patient is in a hospital setting. This is the only way to dynamically monitor the nature of changes and quickly respond to possible side effects and unexpected pathological reactions.
Pathogenetic treatment
Here it all comes down to correcting functional disorders that appear due to toxins released during the activity of bacteria. The list of measures includes mandatory adherence to physical activity, proper nutrition and treatment to reduce the content of harmful substances in the body.
Nutrition plays a special role. Disturbed metabolism requires prompt intervention. A person will have to track the percentage intake of most minerals, vitamins and fats. The share of the latter in the diet is 80-90 grams per day.
Collapse therapy and surgery
When the patient’s future life is called into question, doctors discuss the advisability of collapse therapy and surgical intervention.
In the first case, an artificial pneumothorax is performed. A certain amount of gas is injected into the patient's lungs, which causes a compression effect. The therapeutic effect here is to reduce the elasticity of lung traction and reduce the harmful effects of decay cavities.
Hemostasis and lymphostasis reduce the percentage of absorption of toxins and disperse the concentration of microbacteria, which are the main causative agents of the disease.
If we are talking about tuberculomas, cavities and polycavernous lesions, then to correct the situation we can only rely on the work of the surgeon. All this causes severe functional disorders in the lungs, and it becomes unbearably difficult for the patient to breathe and lead a normal life.
The effectiveness of these treatment methods is measured 5-6 months after intervention in the body. A positive picture is expressed in a decrease in the content of microbacteria in the tests, and this phenomenon is also called the “fall phenomenon”. In unfavorable situations, an increase in bacteria levels can be observed. This suggests that Koch's bacillus was able to develop into drug-resistant strains.
The effectiveness of treatment with traditional methods
The history of the disease dates back centuries, and effective means to combat it were discovered not so long ago. Therefore, various traditional methods replacing antibiotics are widespread.
Our ancestors actively used honey, herbs, fat from various animals and even insects. Medvedki were quite a popular “medicine” at that time. This is explained by the fact that the leukocytes of this beetle quickly reached the microbacteria that cause tuberculosis and then dissolved them.
An important role in therapy is played by the combination of warm milk and bear lard. Special mention should be made of badger fat, whose proven effectiveness, and therefore some doctors recommend that their patients include this substance in the classic drug regimen.
Attention! All this has a positive effect, but you should use folk remedies only after approval from your doctor. The patient’s health condition does not always allow him to delay time with the help of less fast-acting means, and sometimes urgent hospitalization is completely necessary.
Tuberculosis has left sad memories of high mortality and widespread infections in history. Fortunately, these days it is possible to quickly stop the spread of infection, and then completely stop all its manifestations.
It is only important to remember that any symptoms associated with the respiratory organs and general tone of the body are a serious reason to consult a doctor and undergo diagnostic procedures.
In most cases, patients in whom the disease was diagnosed at an early stage, which is characterized by minor damage, can achieve a complete cure. The function of the organ, if the instructions are followed, can be restored after some time. During treatment, the state of the immune system is especially important. As a rule, in patients with advanced stages of tuberculosis, the immune system is no longer able to suppress the disease and ensure proper restoration of damaged organs and tissues.
The course of treatment chosen by a medical specialist has a great influence. When using several anti-tuberculosis drugs, it is possible to get rid of germs and help the body begin to heal the affected areas of the lung.
Specifics of treatment
Treatment for tuberculosis is long-term. The complex includes medications to improve immunity, stop the proliferation of pathogenic microbes, close formed cavities in organs and new foci of disease in the body. The duration of treatment for each patient may be individual, but on average, healing from tuberculosis is possible after 12-18 months. With a full integrated approach, doctors manage to achieve healing, but in some cases, an uncured disease may return and become more resistant to the drugs used. Therefore, the prognosis given to the patient is most often not favorable.
The timing and possibility of a complete cure is also determined by the condition of the sick person’s organs and their reaction to the use of a particular medicine. When treating patients, different methods of administering drugs are used. For example, some patients respond well to pill therapy. At the same time, other patients may need to administer the medication intramuscularly or intravenously. Some patients are asked to inject the desired drug directly into the bronchi or into the lesion.
Treatment for tuberculosis is carried out strictly individually, which also determines the effectiveness of the therapy used. It is important to take prescribed medications regularly and change medications if necessary to avoid addiction and microbes developing resistance to the therapy provided.
An equally important role in the treatment of the disease is compliance with the sanatorium-hygienic regime followed by the transition to a training program. It is important to follow all the doctor’s instructions and follow the prescribed therapeutic diet.
Can pulmonary tuberculosis be completely cured or not?
The incidence of tuberculosis is decreasing, but the fear of this disease is still one of the greatest.
But tuberculosis is just a disease that can be defeated.
What is tuberculosis?
This is an infectious disease that is characterized by a protracted wave-like development with predominant damage to the lung tissue, caused by special microorganisms - mycobacteria.
Scientists and doctors claim that the causative agent of tuberculosis is.
Its peculiarity is that it quickly adapts to conditions unsuitable for life.
When entering the human body, mycobacteria can go into “dormant mode”, which as a result can make a person a carrier of tuberculosis.
Koch's bacillus can be destroyed by sunlight and ultraviolet rays.
There are 2 forms of tuberculosis: sensitive and chemoresistant (resistant).
The last of them is more difficult to treat. Therefore, it needs to be aggressively treated at an early stage in a sensitive form.
Myths about tuberculosis
– the process is long and complex. There are many persistent myths regarding the treatment of this disease.
The purpose of this section of this article is to distinguish between most of them:
- Tuberculosis can be cured with folk remedies. There is an opinion that this disease can be cured with badger or dog fats, tincture of dried mole crickets and others. In fact, some help boost immunity, which is important in treating tuberculosis, but none of them kill mycobacteria. You should consult your doctor. After all, some of the folk remedies are not only useless, but also harmful.
- Healing can be interrupted at any stage and completed later. It's a delusion. Interruptions in treatment lead to the development of a resistant form of tuberculosis. Therapy lasts from 6 to 24 months and should be continuous. Patients take 4 to 8 medications daily. And what is very important, long and persistent healing is carried out under the supervision of a supervisor.
Tuberculosis has acquired many myths around its person. Don't guess with tea leaves - ask all your questions to your doctor! - Treatment ends when the patient stops producing bacteria, that is, being contagious, and his health improves. This is not true. The full course of rehabilitation includes 2 phases: intensive and supportive. The goal of the intensive phase is to destroy all actively reproducing MBTs. The duration of this phase is from 2-3 to 8 months. With proper treatment, bacterial excretion stops. But this does not mean that the patient is healthy. If you stop treatment at this stage, the disease will return, possibly in a more severe form. It is important to continue taking the medications in the maintenance phase as prescribed by your doctor. This phase is longer than the intensive phase from 4 to 12 months, but the amount of drugs taken is less.
- Anti-tuberculosis drugs are very toxic, cause severe side effects - they treat tuberculosis, but at the same time “destroy” other organs.
Indeed, anti-TB drugs can cause adverse reactions, like any other medicine.
But, most of these reactions are not so severe and do not require discontinuation of the drug that caused them.
Severe adverse reactions are extremely rare. Almost all of them are reversible, that is, they disappear after correction of therapy.
Only a doctor can decide whether it is necessary to discontinue the drug, reduce its dose, change the dosage regimen, or prescribe additional medications to eliminate adverse reactions.
If you are infected, does that mean you are sick?
With , a person can either remain healthy, become infected, or even get sick.
This depends on whether the immune system is affected by the disease. An infected person will not get sick and pose a threat to others.
He can also feel absolutely healthy. Fluorography will show normal results.
If this person's immunity is weakened, he may get this infection. According to statistics from physiotherapists, infection occurs in childhood or adolescence.
An important factor, in addition to weakening the immune system, is stress.
In this case, treatment can be anti-stress: light relaxing music, antidepressants, and anti-tuberculosis drugs.
The immune system can resist the spread of mycobacteria throughout the body for a long time.
In this case, a person is considered a carrier of tuberculosis, but does not have it.
How can you tell if a person has tuberculosis?
A person infected with this disease will have the following symptoms:
- cough lasting more than three weeks;
- pain in the solar plexus;
- and sputum discharge;
- difficulty breathing;
- weakness and fatigue;
- loss of appetite;
- weight loss;
- elevated temperature;
- sweating
If you only have a cough that lasts for a long time, you should immediately contact a physiotherapist or your doctor.
It is important to recognize tuberculosis in the early stages for the fastest treatment and speedy recovery!
How can you protect yourself from contracting or contracting tuberculosis?
The following rules must be adhered to:
- Do not contact sick people.
- Use individual utensils and do not let others use them.
- Ventilate the room at all times if the patient lives in the same house/apartment/dormitory, etc.
- Eat properly.
- Lead a healthy lifestyle.
- Avoid overload, lack of sleep, and overwork.
- Wear a mask to prevent bacteria from entering your respiratory tract.
These precautions or some kind of prevention will help avoid contracting the infection.
Can tuberculosis be cured?
The main thing to remember is that without anti-tuberculosis drugs, cure is impossible!
In the absence of necessary treatment, the mortality rate of tuberculosis patients increases to 50% of all infected people.
In other cases, it may become chronic. That is, it turns into a stable form, where bacteria get used to drugs and various procedures.
When starting treatment, each patient should understand the following things:
- The treatment will be long and monitored;
- You should tell your doctor about the side effects caused by various anti-tuberculosis drugs;
- Incorrect treatment develops an incurable stage of the disease.
Individual treatment is prescribed for each patient, taking into account his allergic reactions and other diseases that existed before.
It analyzes whether operations have been performed previously. Up to 3 times of sputum collection is taken.
After this, an unscheduled X-ray and fluorographic examination of the lungs is performed.
The diagnosis is established by a TB doctor based on the following test results:
- If sputum samples are found in 2-3 results;
- There are various transformations in fluorography and x-ray images.
You need to know that anti-tuberculosis drugs alone will not be enough to get rid of this disease.
Patients are prescribed physiotherapy, physical therapy, and medications that enhance immunity.
When treated in hospitals, patients with tuberculosis are provided with enhanced nutrition so that the fight against this disease is even more effective.
Video on the topic
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that affects many body systems and is characterized by a specific “cold” inflammation. The disease is social in nature and affects all segments of the population without exception.
Over the course of phylogenesis, humanity has managed to overcome and bring under control many dangerous diseases, such as plague, cholera, malaria, smallpox, but it is still not possible to overcome tuberculosis infection. This disease occupies a leading position among all life-threatening pathologies in many countries of the world.
Many people wonder whether tuberculosis can be cured. Despite the danger, the scale of the lesion, possible disabling consequences and death, tuberculosis is treatable. The result of therapy can even be at a very good level, but this depends on a whole list of conditions.
The peculiarity of this disease is that it can take from several months to several years until a characteristic clinical picture appears. This is a fairly long period of time during which it is possible to either stop the disease in its very inception, or allow the progression of the disease and the development of a whole bunch of complications.
Moreover, tuberculosis infection has several variants of the clinical course - it is easy to confuse it with other known diseases. This property of the manifestation of the disease has long been called “therapeutic masks.”
Tuberculosis can have the following “masks”: influenza-like, pneumonic, rheumatic, neurological, lupus and hematological. In this case, the disease often begins with such banal complaints as fatigue, weakness, malaise, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, and changes in body temperature.
Only special diagnostic methods will allow us to determine a specific disease in a particular case. These include x-ray diagnostics of the lungs, bacterioscopy and sputum bacteriology, tuberculin diagnostics. At the same time, it is extremely important to report all complaints, concerns and suspicions at the appointment with the attending physician - indicate the possible cause of the deterioration of the condition, with whom and when there was contact, honestly answer the questions posed and follow the doctor’s recommendations.
Is the disease always treatable?
It is impossible to say categorically whether tuberculosis is curable or not. In each specific case, the outcome may be different. There is a certain list of treatment principles, adherence to which will tip the scales in a positive direction:
How long does treatment take?
It is difficult to name a specific period of recovery from tuberculosis infection. The situation is assessed individually in each case. On average, tuberculosis treatment takes about six months.
Conservative
Drug therapy is the main method of treating tuberculosis. There are about 20 drugs and 5 of their groups that are used today. Initial therapy consists of using a minimum combination of four drugs. They have high antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The main first-line drugs are: Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide. They are highly effective against both extracellular and intracellular microorganisms, are well tolerated by the human body and are effective even against resistant microorganisms.
There are also drugs of the reserve group, which are prescribed when the main drugs are ineffective (Ftivazid, Metazidine, Ethionamide, Salyuzid,).
When choosing a medication regimen, you must take into account the effect of each drug. Some act bacteriostatically, others are bactericidal. It is necessary to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each and perform the appropriate combination.
Treatment in the acute phase lasts at least 2-3 months. It is important that no less than 60 and no more than 90 doses of drugs are prescribed. The dosage is calculated based on body weight and taken at a time.
Maintenance therapy lasts 4 months. In this case, the drugs are taken either every day or every other day.
Patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis undergo a course of at least a year. This case is one of the most difficult. In this case, the course of intensive therapy lasts 8 months. The selection of a treatment regimen is carried out on an individual basis.
Surgical
Surgical treatment is performed for all patients in whom drug therapy is ineffective and there is a list of indications for surgical intervention. There are conditions that threaten life - bleeding from the lung tissue, spontaneous pneumothorax, compression of vital organs and vessels by a conglomerate of lymph nodes. There are conditions that are amenable to planned surgical intervention - irreversible destructive changes in the affected organs, the occurrence of cavities and fistulas, chronic intoxication.
Surgery is performed in combination with chemotherapy. The use of surgical intervention alone will not give any effect. Direct surgical treatment does not take much time. Depending on the diagnosis, the operation can last from two to six hours. Although other time indicators are possible. Subsequent rehabilitation takes longer, which can last from six months to several years.
ethnoscience
The high effectiveness of traditional medicine in the treatment of tuberculosis has not been proven. All traditional medicine remedies and recipes can improve overall health. But not a single remedy is effective in treating this disease or destroying the bacterial population in the body.
What determines the duration of therapy?
In each case, the duration of therapy depends on the form and stage of the disease. Each person seeks help at different times during the course of the disease, and some even try to hide everything until the last moment. The duration depends on the advanced state of the condition and the individually prescribed treatment regimen.
Another important criterion is the presence or absence of complications, indications for surgery, tolerability and resistance to drugs, and individual characteristics of the body.
Treatment in hospital and at home
The treatment of tuberculosis disease must be approached with all seriousness and responsibility. As a rule, the entire process is carried out under the supervision of medical personnel, relatives or even volunteers.
How long tuberculosis is treated in a hospital setting directly depends on the severity and form of the disease. Basically, patients are under strict medical supervision throughout the entire period of active bacterial excretion. Basically, this period lasts 2-3 months.
The purpose of inpatient treatment is to protect the healthy population from the infected. Only after the patient has stopped releasing mycobacteria into the environment can he be transferred to a sanatorium or outpatient type of therapy, which can last from six months to a year.
Duration of treatment in children, the elderly and with the development of complications
In such patients, the disease is more severe than usual. This is due to insufficient functioning of the immune system or the natural depletion of the body's reserves in the fight against infection.
Therefore, in order to increase the body’s resistance, in addition to the standard regimen, general strengthening techniques are used: physical therapy, breathing exercises, and a balanced, enriched diet.
In the initial period of the disease, bed rest is first prescribed for up to 20 days, after which, on the contrary, the daily routine is enriched with walks in the fresh air and sun.
It is important to follow diet and hygiene measures. Food should be enriched with protein products, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Subsequently, sanatorium treatment and a good rehabilitation period are required. On average, treatment lasts from 4 to 12 months.
Elderly people, in addition to tuberculosis, may have a whole list of concomitant diseases. It is necessary to pay special attention to strengthening the immune system, treating concomitant pathologies and symptomatic treatment. Treatment in older people takes longer and depends on the general condition of the body.
Complications increase the period of tuberculosis therapy. In such cases, the scheme is expanded - second-line drugs and drugs aimed at treating disorders of other organs are added. And most importantly, the rehabilitation period increases. With this course of the disease, treatment can last several years or even more.
In severe cases, the question of whether tuberculosis is curable receives a negative answer. It is most likely that the disease can become chronic or cause disability.
If you seek medical help in a timely manner, tuberculosis can be completely cured. In this case, it is extremely important to strictly adhere to all treatment principles and seek help as early as possible. Subsequently, it is necessary to periodically see a doctor and undergo anti-relapse treatment.
Tuberculosis today is a social problem. And although the first manifestations of the disease were still identified in people of the Neolithic period, it has not been completely defeated to this day. Moreover, the disease has reached epidemic proportions in many countries around the world. It is possible to get rid of this disease, but only with coordinated adherence to a whole range of measures: timely detection and treatment, completeness and effectiveness of therapy, compliance with all preventive measures, a responsible approach to treatment and rehabilitation.
