Does Your Cough Indicate TB?

Coughing is a typical bodily response. Everyone has felt it, from babies to the elderly.

Coughing is the body's primary method of cleaning the throat, secreting fluids from the lungs, and preventing infection. It's harmless if it happens within 1-2 days because it could mean that something is entering the respiratory tract "the wrong way".

What if the cough lasts for weeks? We must be concerned about the underlying cause here.

Coughs can be classified into two types: acute and persistent coughs. Acute coughs typically persist fewer than three weeks. After a respiratory tract infection, the cough may linger 3-8 weeks. This is known as a subacute cough.

Chronic cough arises when the cough lasts for more than 8 weeks in adults and 4 weeks in children. A persistent chronic cough can be treated if the underlying cause is identified. Chronic coughs are caused by triggers including smoking, postnasal drip, asthma, or acid reflux.

The cause is frequently linked to medical issues. In rare situations, chronic coughing can be a sign of malignancy.

Causes

In most cases, chronic cough is caused by a combination of factors, including

1. Post nasal drip

This disorder develops when there is too much mucus in the nose. Mucus drips down the back of the throat, eliciting a cough reflex. This is known as upper respiratory tract cough syndrome.

2. Asthma

Asthma-related coughs vary with the seasons. This cough frequently worsens when exposed to cold air, chemicals, or specific odors. Asthmatic coughs typically develop with an upper respiratory tract infection.

3. GERD-reflux condition

This illness results from stomach acid leaking back into the tube that connects the stomach and throat. Irritation from stomach acid generates coughing.

4. Infection

Coughs can last long after the symptoms of pneumonia, the flu, colds, or other upper respiratory illnesses have subsided. Pertussis or whooping cough is most commonly the cause of chronic cough in adults.

Chronic coughs can also be caused by pulmonary fungal infections, tuberculosis (TB), or lung infections with non-tuberculous mycobacterial organisms.

5. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic inflammatory lung disease, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, prevents air passage from the lungs.

Chronic bronchitis can induce coughing up colorful phlegm. Emphysema causes shortness of breath and destroys the lung's air sacs (alveoli). Smokers or former smokers are more likely to have coughing as a result of COPD.

6. High blood pressure medication

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which are routinely taken to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, have been linked to chronic coughs in some people. For example, captopril, benazepril, and ramipril.

Chronic coughing can result in vomiting, dizziness, fainting, loss of bladder control, and even broken ribs.

What are the telltale indicators of TB?

A chronic cough may indicate a respiratory tract disease. One among them is tuberculosis (TB). Droplets from infected people's coughs or sneezes spread TB.

However, complaints about tuberculosis coughs and typical coughs are not the same. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection targets the lungs and respiratory tract, resulting in TB illness.

This bacteria can also target other organs in the body, including the spine, brain lining, lymph nodes, and digestive tract. This disease is easily transferred through the air, especially if tuberculosis patients do not cover their lips while coughing or sneezing.

A cough that suggests TB disease frequently involves symptoms, such as coughing for more than three weeks, since the bacteria that cause tuberculosis are tough for the immune system to combat, therefore the cough persists.

When we cough, we emit mucus called phlegm, which is normally clear in color. Meanwhile, phlegm in tuberculosis (TB) looks green or yellow because it contains bacteria or, in severe cases, blood.

A TB cough, unlike a normal cough, is accompanied by other symptoms such as lack of appetite, rapid weight loss, fever, night sweats, and shortness of breath.

Consult a doctor if you experience coughing and other symptoms. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may perform certain tests, such as

• Spirometry: a lung function test that measures air flow in and out of the lungs.
• Endoscopy: an examination with an endoscope to look inside the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.
• Sputum culture: to check the mucus for bacteria and other infections.
• Pulmonary function tests: measure how well the lungs work.
• Imaging tests: for example, X-rays and CT scans to look at the chest and airways.
• Allergy testing: diagnoses environmental allergies that may cause a reaction.
• Blood tests: look for signs of infection or other conditions.

Tips to overcome coughs

Depending on the cause, the following tips may help relieve coughs:

1. Drink plenty of water. The excess fluid will loosen and thin the mucus. Warm beverages like tea and broth can help relieve the throat.
2. Sucking cough medication.
3. If you have acid reflux, avoid overeating and eat within 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. Losing weight also helps if being overweight is causing problems.
4. Turn on a humidifier to moisten the air, or take a hot shower and inhale the steam.
5. Use a saline nasal spray or a nasal irrigation device, like a neti pot. The salt water will thin and help dry out the mucus that is causing your cough.
6. If you smoke, consult your doctor for guidance on how to quit.

See your doctor if your cough lasts more than a few weeks or if you experience symptoms such as drastic weight loss, fever, coughing up blood, or difficulty sleeping.