TB testing and treatment
TB is curable, but only if you take the medication to the end.
Warning symptoms
- A cough lasting more than two weeks
- Phlegm, or phlegm with blood
- Fever, especially night sweats
- Weight loss, poor appetite, severe fatigue
If a cough lasts more than two weeks, get tested.
Testing and treatment
- Public health centres provide testing and treatment support.
- Chest X-ray and sputum tests are done.
- Once confirmed, treatment is state-supported, greatly reducing what you pay.
- You must take medication daily for several months. Never stop on your own because symptoms improved.
Check the scope and procedure with the health centre.
Why finishing matters
Stopping partway produces drug-resistant TB. Treatment then becomes far longer and far harder. However difficult, complete the course.
For people around you
- Family and colleagues you live and work with should have contact screening. The health centre will guide this.
- Infectiousness drops sharply after a period of treatment. Follow your doctor's instructions.
Where to go
- Your local public health centre (TB testing and treatment support)
- 1339 Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency
- TB Zero tbzero.kdca.go.kr
- 1577-1366 · 1345 interpretation
- A local respiratory medicine clinic
Questions people ask
Can I be treated without residence status? TB is handled as a public health matter. Explain your situation to the health centre and ask. Don't suffer alone.
Will my employer be told? Medical information is protected. Where there is a transmission risk, health authorities may arrange contact screening. Ask the health centre.
Do I need time off work? Resting during the early infectious period is safer. Discuss it with your doctor and, if needed, get a medical certificate for your employer. See sick-note-work.
The side effects are severe. Don't stop on your own — tell your doctor first. The medication can be adjusted.
Take care
Stopping the medication on your own is the most dangerous thing you can do. Drug-resistant TB is far harder to treat. Set alarms, mark a calendar, and ask your health centre contact for help if it becomes hard.
Related
hepatitis · free-clinics · medical-fee-support · sick-note-work · hospital-interpretation
Source
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, TB Zero tbzero.kdca.go.kr / As of 2026-08