Is the disease with symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and palpitations tuberculosis?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on August 31, 2024
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Tuberculosis can cause symptoms such as fever, night sweats, cough, and hemoptysis, and in severe cases, it can lead to chest tightness, shortness of breath, and palpitations. However, if a patient experiences shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and palpitations without symptoms like fever, hemoptysis, or night sweats, it is advisable to consider heart disease or chronic lung disease, or pneumonia leading to cardiopulmonary insufficiency. To rule out these conditions, examinations such as a chest CT and cardiac echocardiography should be conducted. Patients experiencing chest tightness and difficulty breathing are advised to seek medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Is tuberculosis infectious?

Only patients whose active phlegm contains tuberculosis bacteria are infectious. Many cases of tuberculosis are actually non-contagious. For example, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, such as lymph node tuberculosis, tuberculous pleurisy, and tuberculous meningitis, are not contagious. Pulmonary tuberculosis patients, whose phlegm contains tuberculosis bacteria, are contagious and need appropriate respiratory isolation and should begin anti-tuberculosis treatment as soon as possible. Through anti-tuberculosis treatment, contagious pulmonary tuberculosis can become non-contagious.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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Does tuberculous pleuritis belong to pulmonary tuberculosis?

Tuberculous pleurisy is not classified as pulmonary tuberculosis. Tuberculous pleurisy is a common manifestation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, often referred to as tuberculosis of the pleura, typically presenting with pleural effusion. Symptoms can sometimes include low-grade fevers in the afternoon and night sweats, which are typical of tuberculosis intoxication. However, the clinical presentation of tuberculous pleurisy can sometimes be atypical, with some patients experiencing high fevers, and there are cases of tuberculous pleurisy without any fever. Additionally, tuberculous pleurisy often coexists with pulmonary tuberculosis. Sometimes, patients with tuberculous pleurisy who undergo a chest CT scan may find lesions in the lungs, but there are also cases where tuberculous pleurisy may exist independently, without the presence of pulmonary tuberculosis.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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Is pulmonary fibrosis always caused by tuberculosis?

Pulmonary fibrosis foci do not necessarily result from tuberculosis, although tuberculosis is a relatively common cause of such fibrosis. After tuberculosis is cured, pulmonary fibrosis foci may remain. However, in cases of general pulmonary inflammation, sometimes the lesion is not completely absorbed, which may also result in fibrosis. If the pulmonary fibrosis foci are a result of tuberculosis, there is a certain risk of recurrence. In such cases, measures should be taken to prevent recurrence, such as ensuring balanced nutrition and engaging in appropriate exercise to enhance one's resistance. These measures help prevent the recurrence of tuberculosis. Additionally, pulmonary fibrosis foci can also lead to changes in lung structure, making patients relatively more susceptible to respiratory infections. Therefore, for pulmonary fibrosis foci, it is also important to keep warm and prevent respiratory infections.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Symptoms of tuberculosis in children

Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can affect various organs throughout the body, but pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common. Initially, symptoms typically include some signs of tuberculosis toxicity, such as prolonged low-grade fever accompanied by coughing. Sometimes the coughing is not severe and may be mild, but in some cases, severe coughing can lead to hemoptysis and other conditions. Night sweats are also common, generally presenting with afternoon low-grade fever and night sweating, along with general fatigue, loss of appetite, difficulty eating, and weight loss.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is mainly due to the infection of the human body by tuberculosis bacteria, which proliferate massively within the body, destroying the tissues and organs, and producing some blood syndromes related to combined toxins. Symptoms such as low-grade fever, night sweats, blood-stained sputum, and afternoon feverishness are common, and weight loss is also a common occurrence. Different forms of tuberculosis have different clinical symptoms. Tuberculosis can be cured if it is identified early and treated promptly and properly with anti-tuberculosis therapy, allowing many to recover completely.