From night sweats to unexplained weight loss, 10 tuberculosis symptoms you should not ignore

Beyond weeks of coughing, here are some lesser-known tuberculosis symptoms that should not be overlooked.

India carries a quarter of the world’s tuberculosis burden. And for years, the advice on tuberculosis was simple: if you have a cough that lasts more than two weeks, get tested. That advice still holds, but it is no longer the whole story. Tuberculosis can begin with tiredness, a lost appetite or a little weight loss, things that are easy to blame on work, age or a busy life. Catching tuberculosis early means noticing the pattern, not any single sign. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Rajendra Prasad, director, medical education, and professor of Pulmonary Medicine at Era’s Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, shared tuberculosis symptoms that are often overlooked.

1. Cough for more than two weeks

The cough may be dry or bring up phlegm, and it does not settle the way a cold does. It often starts mildly and lingers, so it can look like a routine cough for a while. Two weeks is the point at which it should be tested for tuberculosis.

2. Blood in sputum

This can be a thin pink or red streak in the phlegm, or larger amounts of blood. It can point to damage in the lungs or airways. Any amount needs prompt medical attention, and coughing up a lot of blood is an emergency.

The cough may be dry or bring up phlegm, and it does not settle the way a cold does. (Pexel)

3. Chest pain

According to Dr Prasad, the pain may be sharp or a dull ache and often gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough. It tends to come and go over days or weeks, rather than passing in a few hours.

4. Shortness of breath

“Climbing stairs, walking short distances or doing routine chores leaves you more breathless than before,” said Dr Prasad. It usually builds up slowly, so many people adjust without noticing how much they have slowed down.

5. Fever

It is usually mild, often rises in the evening and comes and goes over weeks. Because it is low, it can pass without being measured.

6. Night sweats

The sweating is heavy enough to soak your clothes or bedsheets, whatever the temperature in the room. It repeats over several nights, unlike a single hot or humid night.

7. Weight loss

Clothes start fitting loosely, or the weighing scale shows a drop, without trying to lose weight. It happens gradually, so it is often noticed through clothes before the scale.

8. Loss of appetite

Meals feel less appealing, and portions get smaller or are skipped for days or weeks.

9. Fatigue

This is tiredness that does not go away with rest. Everyday tasks such as walking to the market or getting through a workday feel harder than usual, and sleeping more does not help.

This is tiredness that does not go away with rest. (Unsplash)

10. Swelling in the neck, or other signs outside the lungs

“Tuberculosis can affect glands, bones and other organs, not only the lungs. A lump in the neck is usually painless and grows slowly,” highlighted Dr Prasad. It stays for weeks instead of going down the way a swollen gland does after a cold. Other signs can include joint pain or backache, headache or confusion, blood in urine, or abdominal pain.

When to get tested

Tuberculosis tests and treatment are available free of cost at government health facilities across the country. People can also get screened at Ayushman Arogya Shivirs, health camps the government runs in every district. Tuberculosis is curable, and the earlier it is caught, the better the outcome for patients and the people around them.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.