Bone tuberculosis is a disease caused by Bacillus de Koch that installs itself in the bone causing symptoms like pain and inflammation that evolves for difficulty in movement and loss of localized bone mass. Treatment includes antibiotics and physiotherapy for long periods.
The causes of bone tuberculosis are related to the installation of the Koch bacillus in the bone, which may have penetrated the body through the breath, reached the bloodstream and settled in the bone.
Symptoms of bone tuberculosis
Symptoms of bone tuberculosis vary greatly and tend to worsen with the passage of months. The most common symptoms in case of bone tuberculosis are:
- local inflammation;
- local pain that worsens progressively;
- difficulty in movement;
- local swelling;
- bone fistulas (bone destruction);
- significant weight loss such as losing 8 to 10 kg per year without diet or exercise;
- muscular atrophy;
- low fever, up to 38º C, especially at night;
- night sweat that gets to wet the sheet.
Children also have crying or screaming at night caused by increased pain in the affected area at night. The bones most often affected are the spine and thigh bones.
For the diagnosis of bone tuberculosis, the doctor should ask to have x-ray examinations of the affected area that may suggest bone tuberculosis, but this is not always noticed in this examination and so the doctor may also request others such as a blood test, of urine, bone biopsy for Koch bacillus, and HIV 1 and HIV 2 tests in addition to the chest x-ray. Usually the diagnosis of bone tuberculosis is given after the bone biopsy.
Treatment for bone tuberculosis
Treatment for bone tuberculosis includes taking antibiotics for several months and physical therapy, which may be helpful in reducing the pain and discomfort generated, increasing free movement of the joints and strengthening the muscles. Treatment time is usually longer than 6 months and there are individuals who should be treated for 18 months to 2 years.
Does bone tuberculosis have a cure?
Bone tuberculosis has a cure but in order to achieve it one must take the medicines prescribed by the doctor at the same time every day, even if the symptoms of the disease have disappeared before.
Is Bone Tuberculosis Contagious?
Bone tuberculosis is not contagious and so the individual need not keep away from others.
