Whooping cough is a highly infectious respiratory tract infection. In numerous people, it is marked by a relentless hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like “whoop.” Before the vaccine was developed, whooping cough was regarded as a childhood disease. Deaths related to whooping cough are uncommon but most commonly take place in infants. That is why it is so vital for pregnant women and other people who will have close communication with an infant to be vaccinated against whooping cough.
Common symptoms of whooping cough
Once you happen to be contaminated with whooping cough, it takes around a week for signs and symptoms to emerge, though it can at times take longer. They are typically mild at first and look like those of a common cold:
- Nasal congestion
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Fever
- Red, watery eyes
After a week or two, signs and symptoms deteriorate. Thick mucus builds up within the airways, causing unmanageable coughing. Prolonged and severe coughing attacks may:
- Incite vomiting
- Cause tremendous fatigue
- Result in a blue or red face
- Finish with a high-pitched “whoop” sound in the next breath of air
At times, a persistent hacking cough is the only sign that an adult or adolescent has whooping cough. Infants may not cough rather, they may struggle to breathe, or they might even stop breathing temporarily.
Causes
Whooping cough is caused by a type of bacteria known as Bordetella pertussis. When a person is infected with sneezes or coughs, tiny microorganism-laden droplets are sprayed into the air and breathed into the lungs of any person who happens to be close by.
Risk Factors
The whooping cough vaccine that a child receives eventually wears off as they become teenagers or adults. This leaves most of these individuals vulnerable to the infection during an outburst and there continue to be regular eruptions.
Infants who are less than 12 months ago and are not vaccinated or have not received the complete set of suggested vaccines have the highest risk for severe death and complications.
Complications
Adults and teens usually recover from whooping cough with no issues. When complications take place, they tend to be side effects of the coughing, for instance:
- Abdominal hernias
- Broken blood vessels in the skin or the whites of your eyes
- Bruised or cracked ribs
In infants particularly those below the age group of 6 months usually get more severe complications:
- Slowed or stopped breathing
- Pneumonia
- Brain damage
- Seizures
- Weight loss or dehydration due to feeding difficulties
As toddlers and infants are at greatest risk of complications from whooping cough, they require proper treatment in a hospital. Complications can be severe for infants younger than six months old.
Treatment
If doctors make a diagnosis of whooping cough at an early stage, antibiotics can assist reduce coughing and other signs. They can as well assist stop the infection from spreading to others. However, do not use over-the-counter cough medicines, expectorants, or cough suppressants to treat whooping cough. This is because they do not help in treating whooping cough rather cause several side effects.
The below-mentioned tips help in dealing with whooping cough:
- Get lots of rest: A dark, cool and quiet bedroom may help you unwind and rest better.
- Drink lots of fluids: Water, soups, and juice are good choices. In children, particularly, watch for signs of dehydration, for instance crying without tears, dry lips, and infrequent urination.
- Eat the little amount of food: To prevent vomiting after coughing, consume little amount of food, more-repeated meals instead of big ones.
- Stop spreading of the infection: Cover your cough and wash your hands often; if you should be around others, put on a mask.
- Clean the air: Make your home free of contaminants that can trigger coughing spells, for instance, fumes from fireplaces and tobacco smoke.
It is commonly suggested to reduce the things that can trigger the cough. A humidifier assists. Breathing moist air will assist. With kids, try to keep them cool and not nervous or running around.
- Lemon: Lemons contain citric acid, which has great antiviral and antibacterial properties. In addition, it can assist to cut through mucus and phlegm, which can enhance breathing and reduce that “whooping” sound. Moreover, Vitamin C in lemons can assist boost the immune system to deal with the actual infection, while the other chemical components look after the symptoms.
- Ginger: There are several health benefits of ginger, but when it comes to whooping cough, it plays a very important role. By assisting to get rid of excess phlegm and mucus, ginger can help to ease the chest congestion and enhance airflow to the lungs and respiratory tracts. Apart from this, ginger contains strong antibacterial qualities, which can help to get rid of or deactivate the bacteria that are causing whooping cough.
- Salt Water Gargling: It may not be particularly pleasant, but the high salt content of salt water gargling can cut right through that phlegm and return your breathing to usual, while also assisting to relieve your painful throat from coughing. This is one of the simplest home therapies for whooping cough and can be carried out at least once a day to reduce symptom severity.
The cough syrup torex is an Ayurvedic formulation which is made for getting relief from cough. The herbal medicine is made from selected 20 natural herbs. The cough syrup for whooping cough can be consumed by children in addition to adults as it is safe for people irrespective of all age groups. The syrup must be taken with a glass of lukewarm water. The syrup is packed with advantages of honey and tulsi. People suffering from a wet cough, whooping cough, allergic rhinitis, dry cough, and chronic or acute bronchitis can advantage from the herbal cough syrup.
