Bone Tuberculosis
Written by: Muhammad Nasir Sirat
Tuberculosis (TB) is an extremely infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB primarily affects the lungs, but in some cases, it could spread to other parts of the body. When TB spreads, it’s referred to as extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and one form of them is bone and joint tuberculosis.
AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some people who are suffering from bone TB and a physician about this disease.
Hanifa, a resident of Panjshir province says: “I am suffering from neck pain. I sweat in the night and I have lost my appetite and I am always feeling exhausted. The doctor diagnosed that I have bone tuberculosis.”
Rabiullah, a resident of Kabul city says: “I am suffering from a mild fever before evening and I am sweating in the night. I also suffer from bone pain. The doctor said that I have bone tuberculosis.”
Doctor Muhammad Arif, an orthopedist at Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital, Kabul city says: “The main sign of bone tuberculosis is a severe and chronic pain in bones and other common signs are the weakness of muscles; redness and swelling of bones;’ night fever and sometimes the pus might accumulate around the bone.”
What do people think about the causes of bone TB?
Naheeda, a resident of the Dehdadi district, Balkh province says: “I have heard that this disease is more common in the winter but I don’t know about the main cause of bone tuberculosis.”
Rohullah says: “Cold weather; working in cold weather and living in dark and dump rooms cause bone tuberculosis.”
Doctor Arif says: “The main cause of bone tuberculosis is a kind of bacteria that transfers from tuberculosis affected person to healthy one. Poor people who could not eat variety kinds of fruits, vegetables and dairies are most likely to be affected by bone tuberculosis.”
How do people treat and prevent bone tuberculosis?
A mother, Hameda says: “I am suffering from bone tuberculosis. I keep myself from cold weather and I drink milk, yogurt, and other dairies in the winter and I massage and apply Vaseline to my bones and I feel better.”
Naseem, a resident of Baghlan province says: “My sister suffers from bone tuberculosis. We used home medicines but they did not cure her but when the doctor started her treatment, she is better than before.”
Doctor Arif talks about the treatment of this disease: “Eating fresh fruits; vegetables; dairies; drinking lukewarm water; applying vaseline on the bones; massage, physical exercises and sitting in the sun help to reduce the danger of bone tuberculosis but the patients must go to a hospital or visit a doctor for essential treatment. Healthy persons must separate the room, dishes, bed and other equipment of the patient and healthy persons should use a mask.”