Tuberculosis (TB) Treatment in Panchkula

TB is common, and it is curable

Tuberculosis still affects a very large number of people in India every year, across every income group. We see it in college students living in PGs, in office workers, in domestic helpers, in elderly diabetics, and in people who never imagined they'd be told they have TB.

There is still a lot of fear and stigma around it, which makes people delay testing. That delay is what causes harm. Caught in time and treated properly, the large majority of TB patients are fully cured.

Symptoms to watch for

TB most often affects the lungs. The classic signs are:

• A cough lasting more than two weeks, with or without phlegm
• Fever, often low-grade and worse in the evening
• Night sweats that soak the clothes or sheets
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Tiredness that doesn't go away
• Blood in the sputum, in some cases
• Chest pain or breathlessness

TB can also affect lymph nodes (swellings in the neck), the lining of the lungs (causing pleural effusion), bones, spine, abdomen, brain and other organs. Symptoms then depend on where it is.

Who is at higher risk

• Close contacts of someone with lung TB, especially family members
• People with diabetes, particularly when sugar is poorly controlled
• People who smoke or drink heavily
• Those with low body weight or poor nutrition
• People on steroids, cancer treatment or other medicines that lower immunity
• People living with HIV
• Those with kidney disease on dialysis

How TB is diagnosed

Diagnosis needs proof, not just a suspicion on X-ray.

• Sputum tests. The most important step for lung TB. A molecular test (such as CBNAAT/GeneXpert or TrueNat) can detect TB within hours and also show whether it is resistant to rifampicin, a key TB drug.
• Chest X-ray, and sometimes an HRCT scan.
• Bronchoscopy when sputum can't be produced or tests are negative but suspicion remains. A sample is taken from inside the airways. See bronchoscopy.
• Tests on fluid or tissue for TB outside the lungs, such as pleural fluid or a lymph node sample.

A word of caution: blood tests sold as "TB tests" in some labs cannot diagnose active TB, and starting TB medicines based only on an X-ray or a blood test leads to wrong treatment. We try to confirm the diagnosis properly before starting.

Treatment

Drug-sensitive TB

Standard treatment lasts at least six months: a combination of four medicines for the first two months, followed by three medicines for four months or longer. The tablets are usually given as fixed-dose combinations based on body weight.

Most people start feeling better within two to four weeks. This is exactly when some patients stop the medicines, thinking they are cured. Please don't. Stopping early is one of the main reasons TB comes back and becomes drug-resistant.

Drug-resistant TB

When TB doesn't respond to the usual medicines (MDR-TB or pre-XDR TB), a different, longer regimen is needed, with closer monitoring. Newer oral treatments have made this more manageable than it used to be. We coordinate with the national programme where appropriate.

Side effects and monitoring

TB medicines can cause nausea, joint pain, skin rash, tingling in the feet, and occasionally liver problems. Orange-red urine is expected with rifampicin and harmless. We check in regularly and run blood tests when needed, so problems are caught early. Tell us straight away if you notice yellow eyes, severe vomiting or abdominal pain.

Government support

Under the National TB Elimination Programme, TB medicines are available free, and patients are eligible for nutritional support through the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana. TB is a notifiable disease, and we help with registration so you can access these benefits.

Protecting your family

• People with lung TB become much less infectious within a few weeks of starting proper treatment
• Cover your mouth when coughing and use a mask in the early weeks
• Keep rooms well ventilated with windows open
• Family members, especially children and elderly people, should be screened
• Preventive treatment may be advised for some household contacts

Nutrition matters

TB and undernutrition feed each other. Eating enough protein (dal, paneer, eggs, milk, curd, soya, chicken or fish as per your diet) helps recovery and reduces side effects. If diabetes is present, controlling sugar is a big part of treatment success.

TB care in Panchkula

Dr. Manan Bedi diagnoses and treats TB, including complicated and drug-resistant cases, at Booth 194, Sector 20, Panchkula. Patients come from Chandigarh, Mohali, Zirakpur and surrounding areas. OPD: Monday to Saturday 5–7 PM, Sunday 11 AM–2 PM. Call +91-99280 14284 or book online. Everything discussed at the clinic is kept confidential.