Q: My 82 years old father is suffering from severe pain in his hip area. He experiences difficulty in getting up from his bed in the morning. We consulted a doctor, who asked us to get an MRI scan done. MRI scan diagnosed pus in his spinal cord and tuberculosis (TB). Is pus in his spinal cord and tuberculosis (TB) curable? If yes, how much time will it take?

A:Assuming that the doctor’s diagnosis is right, TB is curable completely provided medicines are taken regularly. What is against him is his age. They tolerate the recumbency poorly and they may not tolerate the drugs easily. Quite often we are not sure it is TB alone therefore it is wise to get back to your doctor and ask him if there is any possibility of something else. If he has any doubt then wiser to do a biopsy (a needle biopsy from the spine).