Spinal TB is a type of skeletal TB that is considered very dangerous. Bone tuberculosis is a type of TB that affects the joints, spine, and long bones.
It can lead to:
- Neurological deficit: refers to the abnormal functioning of a part of the body. This happens because of the compression of adjacent neural structures like the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles.
- Spinal deformity
Also known as Pott’s disease or tuberculosis spondylitis (TB), this disease is a type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB).
Pott’s disease usually happens because of hematogenous spread from other organs like the lungs. The most commonly affected parts of the body include:
- Lower thoracic
- Upper lumbar vertebrae
Causes of Bone Tuberculosis
Bone TB starts due to the rich vascular supply in the middle of the long bones and the vertebrae.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease and it can spread through the air. Once you do get infected with tuberculosis, it may get compressed and start spreading out of the lungs, and this may result in bone TB. Within the body, tuberculosis travels from the lungs to the bones, spine, or the joints via the bloodstream. Since the middle of the long bones and the vertebrae get a rich blood supply, chances of getting bone TB once you get TB are incredibly high.
Note: Bone TB is very difficult to diagnose and can cause numerous problems if it is not treated in the early stages.
Symptoms of Bone Tuberculosis
The symptoms of bone TB generally appear at the advanced stages of the disease. This makes it very difficult to diagnose the condition.
Typically, in the early stages of bone TB:
- No visible symptoms
- Painless
Generally, the signs and symptoms of bone TB include:
- Severe back pain
- Swelling
- Stiffness
- Abscesses
In extreme cases of bone TB, the symptoms include:
- Neurological complications
- Paraplegia/paralysis
- Limb-shortening in children
- Bone deformities
There are a few general signs and symptoms of bone TB, which may or not occur in the case of bone TB; these are:
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Fever and dull chest pain
- Night sweats
- Loss of weight
Alert: In an undiagnosed case of TB, the disease can stay inactive in the lungs while spreading without any discomfort or signs and symptoms.
Treatment of Bone TB
To complement the regular treatment regime, your healthcare provider may recommend the following physiotherapy exercises for faster results, to speed up recovery, and to prevent further damage:
- Breathing: Breathing exercises help you in strengthening your breathing muscles by blowing through a mouthpiece against resistance.
- Warm-up: Any time you are about to get ready for exercising or some intense physical activity, you should always start with some warm-up exercises. These are small and straightforward body movements that prepare your muscles, joints, and hearts for the action ahead.
Dr. Garima Singh
Physiotherapist
BPT and DPTR.