The term consumption disease might confuse a lot of readers, and many of them might come up with several wild guesses. A lot of them might even think that it has something to do with our food consumption. But, these assumptions are totally invalid, and consumption disease can be considered as another name for Tuberculosis (TB). So, a lot of people might wonder what is consumption disease, its cause, symptoms, & treatment.
When it comes to any health issue, going through its cause and symptoms is very important. Symptoms help in the proper diagnosis of the health condition. There are several tests for confirming the diagnosis but, the symptoms help us to take the diagnosis towards the right track. So, if you develop a clear idea regarding these symptoms, then it will immensely help in the early and accurate diagnosis of the health condition.
In addition to that, checking out the cause of the illness is also very important. This will help you in understanding the different aspects of the disease thoroughly. Lastly, we will be providing a clear and concise idea regarding the treatment options that are currently available. So, without wasting further time, let’s take a look at the vital aspects of consumption disease.
Know what is consumption disease….
As we have already mentioned, the consumption disease is more commonly known as Tuberculosis across the globe. It can be considered as a health issue which severely affects our lungs. In addition to that, this condition can also affect the other parts of the body if the treatment is not carried out at the earliest.
An essential characteristic of this health issue is that it can take some duration for the symptoms to manifest themselves. This usually makes the treatment of consumption disease a bit difficult. Hence, it is highly advisable that you take the necessary precautions to avoid the occurrence of this condition.
Several measures have been taken across the world to prevent the instances of tuberculosis or consumption disease. In fact, the health organizations are trying their level best to completely eradicate this disease from all over the world.
When it comes to consumption disease, India has presented a large number of cases till now. Hence, the medical organizations in India are very alert when it comes to consumption disease, and are trying their best to keep the population safe.
It must be noted that the bacteria responsible for the occurrence of this health condition can also infect other organisms such as birds, animals, fishes, as well as rodents. The causative organism tends to spread from one person to another through the fine droplets which are released into the air while coughing or sneezing.
Find out what causes consumption disease….
- In case you are wondering what is consumption disease, then you might also be interested in finding out about the main cause of this health condition. Consumption disease or tuberculosis occurs when a person gets infected by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
This can be considered as an aerobic bacteria which is extremely small in size. In addition to that, this bacteria also has an exceptionally slow division rate.
Consumption disease spreads through the air, and this mainly occurs when a person who has an active consumption disease spit, sneeze, or cough. During these activities, tiny droplets are released from the mouth, as well as the nose. These droplets are infectious, and are responsible for the transmission of this disease.
Also, keep in mind that the infectious dosage for consumption disease is quite low, and a dosage of less than 10 grams is capable of initiating illness.
Symptoms associated with consumption disease
- In order to understand the question, what is consumption disease thoroughly, you need to go through the symptoms of this condition. You must note that TB can be of two types. These include Latent Tuberculosis and Active Tuberculosis.
Latent Tuberculosis can be considered as asymptomatic, as the bacteria remains in the body in the inactive form. However, keep in mind that Latent Tuberculosis has the capability of getting converted into Active Tuberculosis, and hence, you should take the necessary care.
Active Tuberculosis can be regarded as the symptomatic form of TB, and in this case, you will be observing the signs and symptoms enumerated below.
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- 1. Pain in chest
- 2. Coughing for more than three weeks
- Blood in cough or mucus
- Pain while breathing or coughing
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Appetite loss
- Night sweats
- Fever
- Chills
- As we have stated before, TB can also affect the other areas of the body, and during such instances, you will be observing many other symptoms depending upon the organ that has been affected. If the infection has affected your kidney, then you might observe blood in the urine.
Treatment of Consumption disease
- Now that we know what is consumption disease, let’s take a look at the treatment options that are currently available. If you notice any of the above mentioned symptoms, then the chances are high that you might be suffering from consumption disease. During such instances, you must begin the treatment immediately to avoid further complications.
- The patients who are diagnosed with Latent Tuberculosis will also require medications because the latent TB can easily get converted into Active Tuberculosis. This treatment must be carried out for a duration of 6 to 8 months.
- The drugs that are mostly prescribed for treating consumption disease include Rifampin, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol, and Isoniazid.
- Sometimes, the virus becomes mutated, and as a result, the doctor might ask you to take a number of medications simultaneously. These include a combination of fluoroquinolones (a class of antibiotics), and an injectable medicine called amikacin. These medications must be used for 25 to 30 months.
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Conclusion
- We have seen what is consumption disease, its cause, symptoms, & treatment. Severe cases of consumption disease have the capability of causing a wide variety of health issues such as arthritis in the knees and hips, meningitis, back pain, heart disorders, liver problems, etc. Hence, it is very important to seek medication attention as early as possible. Delayed treatment will make it quite difficult to manage the symptoms associated with this condition.
