What is the difference between lymph node tuberculosis and pulmonary tuberculosis?

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Not as dangerous and contagious as tuberculosis, lymph node tuberculosis is not fatal and can be cured. However, this is a fairly common disease, the disease also lasts a long time and causes many inconveniences in daily life.

1. What is pulmonary tuberculosis?

Pulmonary TB is an infectious disease caused by TB bacteria that enter the lungs and multiply. Among all types of tuberculosis, pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common disease (accounting for 80-85%) and is the main source of transmission to the community.
1.1. Symptoms Cough is the first and most important symptom of pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients may cough dry, cough with phlegm, cough up blood. Cough symptoms may persist for more than 3 weeks. Shortness of breath, chest pain. Feeling tired. Slight fever, chills in the afternoon. Or night sweats. Weight loss due to anorexia, not eating well.

1.2. Is pulmonary tuberculosis contagious? Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease that spreads from person to person through the respiratory tract. People with tuberculosis of the lungs, or tuberculosis of the larynx, bronchi, when coughing, will spit out TB bacteria in tiny saliva particles, or small dust particles. People who come into contact with TB patients will easily breathe in and cause disease in the lungs. In addition, the living environment is humid and polluted with dust, which will create conditions for TB bacteria to grow and cause disease. In eating and drinking, if using food sources containing TB bacteria, it is also possible to get TB infection. Contact with waste containing TB bacteria also makes people infected. 1.3. How is pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed? Based on the symptoms of the above disease such as: mild fever in the afternoon, night sweats, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, the doctor will simultaneously examine the lungs and body, may prescribe some tests. Tests such as:
Chest X-ray. Xpert MTB/RIF test (if possible). Direct sputum smear for AFB. Culture for TB bacteria. For a definitive diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, at least 1 sample with AFB (+) and X-ray images suspected of tuberculosis or when 2 sputum samples are present (+).

1.4. Treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis Patients with pulmonary tuberculosis need to adhere to the treatment regimen, take the drug fully and in the correct dosage, especially not to arbitrarily stop using the drug when the disease symptoms disappear. Pulmonary tuberculosis, if not treated promptly, can lead to a number of complications such as pleural effusion, pneumothorax, hemoptysis. After being cured, patients may still experience some sequelae such as: chronic respiratory failure, bronchiectasis, lung fungal tumor, pneumothorax... 1.5. Prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis Pulmonary tuberculosis is an infectious disease, therefore, to prevent the disease from spreading, some measures can be applied:
BCG vaccination for children to prevent tuberculosis. When going out or in contact with sick people, you should wear a mask. Wash your hands often, before and after eating. Cover your mouth when you sneeze. Do not share items and personal items with sick people. People with pulmonary tuberculosis need to avoid infecting others by wearing a mask, covering their mouth when coughing or sneezing, not sleeping in the same room, not going to crowded places. regulations, sputum or other sources of infection must be disposed of properly. Regularly clean living places and workplaces where TB patients live, so there is plenty of sunshine. Develop a scientific and reasonable diet, live a healthy lifestyle, get enough rest, exercise regularly, avoid the use of addictive substances such as alcohol, beer, tobacco, and get medical check-ups according to your needs. periodically to prevent tuberculosis.

2. What is lymph node tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a secondary disease that occurs after tuberculosis elsewhere in the body, such as primary or pulmonary tuberculosis. TB bacteria after entering the lungs, cause damage here (pulmonary tuberculosis) and then move to the lymph nodes and out to cause lymph node tuberculosis.
2.1 Symptoms Enlarged, clustered, stringy lymph nodes in one area, mostly in the neck. The swelling is uneven, painless, and non-adhesive. The skin surface of the lymph node is smooth, swollen as if it is not hot and not red. The swollen lymph node gradually enlarges in size, when it is enlarged, it softens, then the lymph node may burst and ooze pus, look like pox, difficult to heal, or leak. If the scar becomes, the scar is pulled, has a pinched shape, and the scar's mouth is purple like a dandelion fruit. With tuberculosis, the person may feel tired and have a low-grade fever. Except for cases of superinfection or associated TB lesions in other organs such as lungs, bones, etc., the disease will have more severe symptoms. 2.2 Is lymph node tuberculosis contagious? Unlike pulmonary tuberculosis, TB bacteria are confined to the lymph nodes causing inflammation and do not leak to the outside, so nodal TB is not transmitted directly from person to person.

2.3 How is lymph node tuberculosis diagnosed? Definitive diagnosis of lymph node tuberculosis is based on clinical manifestations and a number of tests such as:
Aspiration lymphadenectomy for cytology. Lymph node biopsy is used to diagnose diseased tissue. BK transplant. Chest X-ray. After confirming the diagnosis, conduct differential diagnosis to classify TB lymph nodes:
Infectious lymphadenitis will manifest as red, hot, swollen lymph nodes with tender density, painful palpation of the lymph nodes, and response to antibiotic treatment. Differentiate between Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's disease by lymph node biopsy and myelogram. Lymph node metastasis with cancer will have clinical manifestations of primary cancer, conduct a lymph node biopsy. Benign lymphadenomas such as lipomas, fibroids, neuromas, lymphatic cysts,... 2.4 Is lymph node tuberculosis curable? Lymph node tuberculosis can be treated medically under the guidance of doctors and specialists. Taking drugs to treat lymphadenopathy such as rifampicin, rimifon, pyrazinamide, ethambutol... continuously for about 9 months is minimal. Dosage depends on weight and according to the treatment regimen decided by the specialist. Having tuberculosis of the lymph nodes requires surgery is also a question of many people. Tuberculosis is treated surgically, surgically - surgical removal of the entire lymph node when lymphadenitis is purulent but does not respond to aspiration and treatment in combination with antibiotics, or has tuberculous lymphoma, non-purulent tuberculosis , residence. Dissecting and dredging pus from the lymph nodes and applying anti-tuberculosis antibiotics are also effective treatments. Tuberculosis is a very common disease in children. When treating, it is important not to remove the lymph nodes early because the lymph nodes play a protective role against the invasion of TB germs. Caring for children should avoid chronic lymphadenitis. The best treatment for lymph node TB is to treat TB before surgery to avoid spreading TB bacteria. 2.5 Prevention of lymph node tuberculosis Because lymph node tuberculosis is not an infectious disease, the main way to prevent lymph node tuberculosis is to adhere to the treatment prescribed by a specialist to completely treat tuberculosis, to avoid bacterial infection. TB invades and causes disease in other organs of the body. Similar to many other diseases, strengthening and improving the body's resistance, having a scientific and nutritious diet, and getting proper rest, especially for children, is one of the ways to prevent it. best disease.

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