Lung TB, or pulmonary TB, is the most common kind of TB and the kind that can spread to other people. Its signs build up slowly over weeks.
हिंदी में सार
फेफड़ों की टीबी के लक्षण: 2 हफ़्ते या ज़्यादा खाँसी, 2 हफ़्ते या ज़्यादा बुखार, रात को पसीना, वज़न घटना, बलगम में खून, सीने में दर्द और साँस फूलना। यही टीबी दूसरों में फैल सकती है, इसलिए जल्दी जाँच ज़रूरी है। जाँच सरकारी केंद्र पर मुफ़्त है।
Signs of lung TB
- Cough for 2 weeks or morewith or without phlegm
- Fever for 2 weeks or moreoften rising in the evening
- Night sweatswaking up drenched
- Weight losswithout trying
- Blood in the phlegmfrom a streak to more
- Chest painoften worse on breathing or coughing
- Breathlessnessas the disease advances
- Loss of appetite and tiredness
How lung TB differs from a common cough
| Usually a cold or chest infection | Think of TB and get tested |
|---|---|
| Gets better within a week or two | Lasts 2 weeks or more |
| No weight loss | Weight loss without trying |
| Fever settles quickly | Fever for 2 weeks or more, often in the evening |
| No night sweats | Night sweats |
Only a test can tell the difference. Smokers often blame a long cough on smoking; it still needs a TB test.
TB of the lining of the lungs
TB can also affect the pleura, the lining around the lungs. The ICMR treatment workflow lists fever, chest pain that is worse on breathing, cough, breathlessness, poor appetite and weight loss, sometimes with a history of contact with TB.
Cover your mouth when you cough, open windows, and sleep in a separate airy room if you can. See is TB contagious.
Get help the same day if
- coughing up a lot of blood
- severe breathlessness or chest pain
Symptoms alone cannot tell you whether you have TB. If you have a cough or fever for 2 weeks or more, weight loss, night sweats or blood in your phlegm, go to your nearest government health facility and ask for a TB test. TB testing and treatment are free there.
Free TB helpline Ni-kshay Sampark: 1800-11-6666.
TB symptoms body mapTap a part of the body to see how TB can show up there.
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Frequently asked questions
What does TB cough sound like?
There is no special sound. What matters is how long it lasts: a cough for 2 weeks or more needs a TB test.
Is lung TB the same as pulmonary TB?
Yes. Pulmonary means of the lungs.
Can a chest X-ray alone diagnose lung TB?
An X-ray can show changes that suggest TB, but the programme confirms TB with tests on sputum such as NAAT. See chest X-ray for TB.
Can lung TB come back?
It can, which is why follow-up after treatment matters. See is TB curable.
Medical review note. Written from official TB programme guidelines; last checked 16 October 2026. This is general information, not medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, see a doctor at your nearest government health facility.