Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis: Managing TB Beyond Lung Infection

Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Tuberculosis (TB) has long been thought of as a condition of rarity, affecting only those who are placed in high risk categories. As a condition that is not routinely screened, individuals who suffer from TB are often surprised by the diagnosis and confused as to how it may have been acquired.

A complexity of tuberculosis is when the illness is expanded, affecting areas outside of the lungs. Referred to as extrapulmonary tuberculosis, this form of TB infects the lymph nodes and can affect the pleura and, eventually, any organ within the body. While commonly associated with patients who are infected with HIV, extrapulmonary TB can affect anyone at any age and is quite difficult to diagnose.

Joint inflammation, organ edema and the traditional signs of TB are to be expected when extrapulmonary tuberculosis is at issue. In most cases, the swelling of the lymph nodes will be most prevalent in and around the cervical region. Beyond the lymph nodes of the cervical region, the spinal column is most often affected next, with extrapulmonary TB patients complaining of arthritic type pain in the joints; most notably the thoracic region.

As extrapulmonary tuberculosis continues to make its way through the variety of body systems, the urological system, digestive system and central nervous system can all be affected. Even the cardiovascular system can be implicated and then, eventually, death may occur more rapidly.

If you suffer from complications traditionally associated with tuberculosis, it is not uncommon to seek medical attention immediately. However, when the complications of tuberculosis involve extrapulmonary tuberculosis, treatment may be delayed or accurate diagnosis may not come as quickly as necessary. For this reason, if you suffer from cervical lymph node irregularities, complications involving thoracic pain and even respiratory complications, ask your physician to make the necessary examination into extrapulmonary TB beyond that of traditional TB screening.

Additionally, if you've recently been treated for complications associated with Crohn's disease, or rheumatoid arthritis, and you've used medications such as Remicade or Enbrel, there may be a greater risk for developing extrapulmonary TB following treatment for these conditions. Again, ask your healthcare provider to conduct the appropriate screening with TB symptoms are present.

As with any health complications, whether you are living with HIV or not, it is important to seek medical attention early when the symptoms begin. Because extrapulmonary tuberculosis is not common, and quite difficult to diagnose, if you are an "at-risk" patient, by way of medication or environmental exposure, it is important to obtain screening when abnormal symptoms are present. In doing so, you can alleviate the long term complications of the GI system, central nervous system and implications extrapulmonary tuberculosis may have upon your muscles, joints and bones.