Wellness Activity for TB Patients

Yoga

• Yoga aims at holistic functioning of the mind and body. It consists of various exercises and specific body positions and movements(yoga asana) which can be learnt and performed under the supervision of a yoga teacher.
• Yoga will help to clean the upper respiratory tract and the sinuses. The breathing exercise or pranayama induce relaxation and help to reduce the stress levels of the patients considerably.

Meditation

• Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.

Exercise

• Exercise is being recognized as an important modality for gaining good health and recovering from illness and disease.
• Exercise like cycling and walking are great ways to make sure that the TB infection that was once in your system has been completely eradicated. Once recovered, it is a good idea to keep up the exercise, as this is a factor in stopping the TB from returning at a later date.

• Rehabilitation Service to TB Patients

• Emotional support must be provided to patients with TB and their families during illness. Receiving TB diagnosis is often regarded by patients as a real stigma that isolates them from their family and society. Psychologists can support patients to help reduce misconceptions and socially integrate former patients.

• TB is a contagious disease that induces fear and social isolation and needs a long period of drug administration, sometimes with adverse effects. Therefore, therapeutic education is very important, which serves the purpose of explaining to patients and their families about the condition of the disease, the risks of contagiousness, the stages of treatment and prognosis.

• Exercise may be light initially, followed by assisted and active exercise. Once the patient’s condition is stable, a 6-minute walk test may be done in the room or corridor. The intensity should be progressively increased, depending on the patient’s tolerance.

• Nutrition: Weight loss is associated with fatigue and decreased exercise capacity. There is a risk for the patient not recovering body weight at the end of drug therapy, despite receiving correct TB treatment. Nutritional supplementation may play a positive role in the recovery of these patients.

• Tuberculosis Drug side effects: A proactive clinical approach is required to replace/stop the use of the concerned drugs.

• Providing Assistive devices Hearing aids, cochlear implants, tinnitus-masking devices, mobility aids, and prosthetic/orthotic devices improve the quality of life of patients.

• Corrective Surgery: May be required in TB of the bones, spine etc.

• Community and home-based care: This becomes important in severe neuromuscular deficits and movement disabilities.

• Physiotherapy: A trained physiotherapist may help through:
  • Sputum clearance technique for reduced sputum quantity, better ventilation and relief of symptoms
  • Cough education involving body positioning during coughing, control of breathing in coughing to achieve mobilization and secretions

• Counselling: Psychological support is required for facing long-term/permanent disabilities like loss of vision and hearing loss as side effects of the drugs, paralysis in TB meningitis, infertility in genital TB etc.

• Livelihood options: NGOs and support groups can create such options and/or facilitate treated patients to find various livelihood options