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Possible Lymphoma Or Tuberculosis, Swelling In Lymph Node Around Neck And Abdomen, Have Cough. Is It Contagious?
If the doctor said my partner's having either lymphoma or tuberculosis judged from some lymph node swelling around the neck and abdominal areas (still waiting for confirmation next week), is there anything special we should pay special attention in terms of exercise, diet, etc?
And is lymphoma now curable? If my partner's been having coughing symptoms for past half a year, and I haven't been infected at all, does it rule out the possibility of tuberculosis which seems in most cases contagious?
And is lymphoma now curable? If my partner's been having coughing symptoms for past half a year, and I haven't been infected at all, does it rule out the possibility of tuberculosis which seems in most cases contagious?
Sat, 19 Oct 2013
Hi there,
Thanks for your query.
* Tuberculosis of lymph nodes is NOT contagious, UNLESS there is oozing. In case of tuberculosis of lungs, and your partner is coughing out sputum- that will be contagious PROVIDED the sputum contains tubercular bacteria.
* Just because you have not been infected so far, it does not exclude tuberculosis in your partner. In most cases, tubercular bacteria remain enclosed in the lung lesion. Once the lung lesion ruptures and communicates with the wind pipe, the bacteria come out in the wind pipe and coughed out along with sputum. This infected sputum spreads infection to others. Examination of sputum for presence of tubercular bacteria will tell us whether it can transmit the disease to other partner or not.
* Yes, the early-stage-lymphoma is nowdays curable, depending on the extent of its spread into the body. A long-term chemotherapy will cure early lymphomas. But, the spread of the disease to neck and abdominal lymph nodes in your partner indicates a higher degree of lymphoma stage (if at all it is lymphoma).
* Good, well-balanced diet will improve the body immune system, while exercises will help indirectly.
Dr. Rakesh Karanwal
Thanks for your query.
* Tuberculosis of lymph nodes is NOT contagious, UNLESS there is oozing. In case of tuberculosis of lungs, and your partner is coughing out sputum- that will be contagious PROVIDED the sputum contains tubercular bacteria.
* Just because you have not been infected so far, it does not exclude tuberculosis in your partner. In most cases, tubercular bacteria remain enclosed in the lung lesion. Once the lung lesion ruptures and communicates with the wind pipe, the bacteria come out in the wind pipe and coughed out along with sputum. This infected sputum spreads infection to others. Examination of sputum for presence of tubercular bacteria will tell us whether it can transmit the disease to other partner or not.
* Yes, the early-stage-lymphoma is nowdays curable, depending on the extent of its spread into the body. A long-term chemotherapy will cure early lymphomas. But, the spread of the disease to neck and abdominal lymph nodes in your partner indicates a higher degree of lymphoma stage (if at all it is lymphoma).
* Good, well-balanced diet will improve the body immune system, while exercises will help indirectly.
Dr. Rakesh Karanwal
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