What are the symptoms of bone tuberculosis?

Typical symptoms of bone tuberculosis patients include local pain, limited movement, and swelling of the affected area. In addition, systemic symptoms such as long-term low fever, fatigue, and night sweats may also occur. Once these conditions occur, you should seek medical attention in time to prevent the condition from worsening.

1. Local pain and limited movement

Bone tuberculosis usually affects weight-bearing parts of the spine, hips, or knees, and patients often feel persistent or intermittent pain. The pain often worsens with activity, gradually leading to limited mobility. When the spine is affected, there is a higher risk of kyphosis or functional impairment. In this case, patients need to immediately avoid strenuous activities, seek medical advice, and, if necessary, undergo imaging studies (such as X-rays, MRI) to confirm the diagnosis.

2. Swelling and deformity of the affected area

Inflammation at the site of infection can cause soft tissue swelling, and in severe cases, tuberculous abscesses may form, such as cold abscesses. This type of abscess usually manifests as obvious local swelling, but it is not hot or red when touched. When the disease progresses to the late stage, the patient may experience deformity of the affected limb due to destruction of the bone tissue structure. For example, patients with hip tuberculosis may show limp.

3. Systemic symptoms

Early bone tuberculosis is often accompanied by systemic manifestations of tuberculosis infection, such as low-grade fever, night sweats, fatigue, weight loss, etc. This manifestation is similar to other chronic diseases and can be easily mistaken for common fatigue or colds, causing patients to ignore their condition. If the above symptoms persist for several weeks and do not improve significantly, especially when accompanied by local pain, you should be alert to the possibility of bone tuberculosis.

4. Signs of worsening condition

If not treated promptly, bone tuberculosis may cause serious complications such as osteomyelitis, paraplegia or loss of joint function. Early means of clarifying the condition include tuberculin test (PPD test), blood tests and imaging examinations. In terms of treatment, conventional anti-tuberculosis drugs such as isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, etc. need to be used in combination. For patients with abscesses or severe bone tissue damage, surgical drainage or lesion removal and other surgical methods are also required.

If you experience long-term unexplained pain, swelling in the affected area, or systemic symptoms such as low-grade fever, you should seek medical attention and undergo appropriate examinations to clarify the diagnosis and treatment plan. Bone tuberculosis is a controllable disease, but early detection and early treatment are the key to preventing further deterioration of the disease.