Tuberculosis?

Question

My freind said he had just found out he has T Bz, and he doesn't even know why he has it, so I wanted to know how it is caused. Can it be spreaded and what usually happens to a person (if anything) when they have it?

Answer 1

Hi Clarissa

Here are some answers.

Cause
TB is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB causes 1,800 deaths per year and 20,000 new cases are reported annually. The primary risk groups are older African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. Also at greater risk are people with illnesses that decrease immune function, such as alcoholics, malnutrition, diabetics, and people who are HIV positive.

Caution: Drugs that act as immune suppressants, such as corticosteroids, can retrigger tuberculosis.


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Natural Cures

Note: Prevention is the key to treating and minimizing the spread of TB. This is achieved through vaccinations, such as the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Contact tracing using skin testing and x-ray should be performed on relatives and friends of patients with TB as an effective way to detect early cases of TB that have not yet presented with symptoms. Proper diagnosis must include a chest X-ray and skin and sputum tests, and proper treatment must include drugs.

Diet: Eat an organic, whole foods diet that emphasizes raw vegetables and pure filtered water. Pears, pear juice, and pear sauce can also be helpful, as pears can help hasten healing of the lungs. Other helpful foods include fenugreek and alfalfa sprouts, garlic, pomegranate, and all forms of fermented milk such as yogurt and kefir.

Herbs: Combine the tinctures of echinacea, elecampane, and mullein in equal parts and take one teaspoon three times a day. This remedy is very effective for soothing the lungs.

Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is the application of water, ice, steam and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation and the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program. Many Naturopathic Physicians, Physical Therapists and Day Spas use Hydrotherapy as part of treatment. We suggest several at-home hydrotherapy treatments.

Juice Therapy: Combine raw potato juice with an equal amount of carrot juice. Add one teaspoon of olive or almond oil and one teaspoon of honey, and drink three glasses each day.

Lifestyle: Get plenty of fresh air, rest, light, exercise, and relaxation.

Nutritional Supplementation: The following supplements are recommended for TB: Vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, Vitamin E, multiminerals, essential fatty acids, zinc, garlic capsules, citrus seed extract, lipotropic formula, deglycerinated licorice, and lung glandulars.

Topical Treatment: Eucalyptus oil packs applied topically over the lungs can help break up congestion and collected fluids.

Best of health to both of you

Answer 2

As stated in the other answers, tuberculosis (caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is spread by the aerosol route, i.e., one person breathes in invisible droplets from another infected person. Your friend should go and see a doctor since lack of treatment can potentially result in severe disease. TB is usually treated with a 6 month course of antibiotics. Please tell your friend (as the doctor will) that it is VERY important that he take the antibiotics exactly as he is supposed to, and doesn't skip doses just because he feels okay. This is one way that antibiotic resistant TB can come about.

Answer 3

If he is immunocompromised, has HIV or he has multidrug resistant (MDR) TB, then it is a problem. TB spreads from the lungs by droplet infection. Primary TB can be cured completely by 8 months' treatment. He should cover his mouth when coughing. On treatment, he should be non- infectious (sputum negative) in 2 to 3 weeks.

Answer 4

TB is a very serious condition.
It's airborne, that means you catch it from people coughing or sneezing, the droplets that are in the air.
People get really sick with this and can die. He needs to be on antibiotics.

Answer 5

Air borne disease.
Affects mainly the lungs, but can affect the nervous system and bones!
Death CAN arise from this disease if not treated quickly!

Answer 6

Hi
Well, let me know whether you are talking about "TB" (Tuberculosis), and if so, certainly I can give you some advise ...

Answer 7

http://familydoctor.org/120.xml

Answer 8

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35778
It is infectious, and it is spread through droplets.