Could I have NTM?
Since the symptoms of MAC infection mirror other lung infections, it can be a challenge to be correctly diagnosed. You may have symptoms every day. You may not. Each patient with NTM is different. It’s frustrating for you and not having the correct diagnosis may lead to the infection growing worse.
It’s especially important to receive proper diagnosis if you have another lung disease so you don’t attribute your ongoing symptoms to an underlying issue. But, how do you know if it’s NTM or your chronic health issue flaring up?
Ask yourself if you have any of the warning symptoms like persistent coughing or recurring infections that fail to respond to medication. If you are not sure, seek out a specialist trained in pulmonology or infectious disease.
Sometimes, what we might dismiss as related to our known health issues, loved ones notice as atypical. Talk to your family, friends, and caregivers. They might notice changes in your weight, appetite, energy levels or overall health that you might dismiss as related to existing health issues. Loved ones can often pick up on subtle changes that we miss. While not all caregivers are medically trained, they are usually observant to subtle changes in our day-to-day health.
Diagnosing NTM lung disease
First, it is paramount that you seek the expertise of a pulmonologist or infectious disease clinician trained to identify and treat infectious diseases. Your healthcare team will want to rule out other possible causes for your symptoms. To be thorough, you could have the following assessments:
1
A clinical exam which involves taking down your medical history and conducting a medical exam that includes a breathing capacity test. Be sure to tell your physician about your overall health, changes in symptoms, and your home and work environments.
2
A chest x-ray or CT scan to determine if there are any nodules, cavities or other changes to your lung tissue and airways that might point to NTM or other diagnosis.
3
A lab culture to determine if any infection present is caused by NTM lung disease or other infections. The process of testing a lab culture consists of collecting a sputum sample. To reduce the chance of a false negative, your doctor will repeat the sputum test several times on different days.
Other ways to collect material for a lab culture are with sputum induction (inhaling nebulized hypertonic saline solution which liquefies airway secretions and allows expectoration of respiratory secretions), and bronchoscopy (a thin tube with a camera on the end, called a bronchoscope). These procedures are only used if you have difficulty producing a good sputum sample.
Although Mycobacterium avium complex is the most common cause of NTM infection, it is still vital to identify the specific species that is causing your infection to ensure you receive appropriate treatment. Help Me Find A Specialist
10 Questions to ask your specialist.
