Spinal Tuberculosis (TB)/Potts spine.
TB is generally perceived in general population as a lung disease. However this disease also affects other parts of the body such as abdomen, bones especially spine, Brain and even skin. 5-10% of the total TB patients in India suffer from Bone TB. Spinal TB is generally ignored and diagnosed late due to lack of awareness. The most common and early symptom of spine TB is back pain. It is generally ignored by patients thinking of normal back pain due to spondylosis/ arthritic pain. But most patients of arthritic pain get relieved in night on rest, whereas those due to TB, pain gets increased in night on rest. Patients with TB in their bones might or might not exhibit general symptoms of tuberculosis such as fever, fatigue, night sweats, lack of appetite and unexplained weight loss. Although about half of all patients with bone TB also have infected lungs, the disease is usually not active in lungs. Most patients with bone TB do not suffer from coughing and probably do not suspect that they have tuberculosis. At times, it may take months to year for initial symptoms to show. Diagnosis is usually missed on plain Xrays. TB can be picked early only by MRI of the affected spine, with due suspicion in mind. Also, patients with bone TB are generally not contagious to family members living together or other people because the disease spreads through coughed-up active virus particles, unless you come in contact with a patient’s pus. Unlike TB […]
