3 Measures On How to Take Care of TB Patient at Home

Tuberculosis is a lung disease that has been prevalent for a long time. Living with someone who has TB and taking care of them can be a challenging task. Here’s an overview of the disease and the measures you can adopt if you have questions, like “How to take care of TB patient at home”. on your mind.

What you need to know:

What is Tuberculosis?
Symptoms of Tuberculosis
How to take care of the patient at home?
Taking care of a TB patient at home

What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a disease that is classified as an infection spread by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the infected person’s lungs but may also affect other parts of the body, such as the spine, brain or kidneys. It is a highly contagious disease that can quickly spread through the air. There are two primary forms of tuberculosis, Latent TB and Active TB.

In Latent TB, the virus often remains inactive for a long time, and the person never experiences any symptoms. Active TB is where the virus is active. However, the disease can be treated with proper medical attention.

Symptoms of tuberculosis

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Here are some of the common symptoms of TB:

Never-ending cough with or without blood
Fatigue
Unexplained weight loss
Fever
Night sweats
Chills
Chest pain
Shortness of breath

How to take care of the patient at home?

Not everyone infected with tuberculosis will exhibit symptoms, particularly in the early stages of the disease. In some cases, TB can lie dormant in the body and not cause any symptoms until it becomes active later. If you suspect you have TB or have been exposed to TB, it is crucial to seek medical attention for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Taking care of a tuberculosis patient at home

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Living with someone who has TB and taking care of them requires special attention to ensure the patient’s well-being and prevent the spread of the disease to others. Consider following the practises if you want to know how to take care of TB patient at home:

Importance of a balanced diet for TB patients

A balanced diet is crucial for tuberculosis patients for several reasons. It helps strengthen the immune system to help the body fight the infection. A balanced diet, including citrus foods, fatty fish, nuts, milk and dry fruits, can help in promoting enhanced healing and bone health. If you are living with someone who has TB, you can consult a nutritionist and get the patient’s proper balanced diet chart.

Personal protective measures

When living with someone who has TB, it’s crucial to follow protective measures to reduce the risk of contracting TB yourself or spreading it to others. Here are some measures on how to take care of TB patient at home:

Keep your hands clean all the time.
Isolate the patient.
Wear PPE before you approach the patient.
Limit close contact with the patient.
Monitor your health regularly.

Emotional Support

Living with someone who has TB can be a mentally draining task in itself. Still, providing emotional support to TB patients is essential for their mental well-being as they often experience stress and anxiety.

We hope your questions on “How to take care of TB patient at home” and “How to protect yourself from a TB patient?” were answered. Taking care of and living with someone who has TB can be a strenuous task, but it can be manageable if you follow the precautions mentioned above.

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