Whooping cough - Causes, symptoms, and remedies

Whooping cough is known as pertussis. The name whooping cough comes from the whooping noise that an individual makes when they're floundering to breathe, after coughing. It's a veritably contagious bacterial infection. It may affect the lungs and the airways in the mortal body. This kind of cough is substantially seen in babies. Still, people of any age can be prone to this kind of cough.

Once affected, this cough lasts for further than two months. Occasionally the coughing is so hard that it makes a person heave. Babies who are under the age of one and have not entered the vaccine for this kind of cough generally get affected the most. In similar cases, rushing to the sanitarium is the first thing that has to be done.

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What causes Whooping Cough?

A person suffering from Pertussis(Image by Anastasiia Chepinska/Unsplash)

There is a type of bacteria called Bordetella Pertussis. The bacteria affect the lungs and the respiratory tract, which causes the cough. Once they are attached to the cilia of the respiratory tract, they start to release toxins. This causes further damage and swelling of the cilia. The swelling increases mucus secretion which causes this kind of cough.

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Is Whooping Cough contagious?

This kind of cough can affect children the most(Image by Vitolda Klein/Unsplash)

Whooping cough is very contagious. If anyone in a group has this kind of cough, that person can affect ninety percent of the group members. If a person is not vaccinated or does not start taking antibiotics to cure the cough, their risk of spreading the cough is even higher.

If one is in contact with the infected person's breathing fluids, or if an infected person coughs or sneezes near them, they will get infected. This cough spreads rapidly and very fast if precautions are not taken. Wearing a mask can limit the virus that is spread but not completely.

Therefore if anyone is suffering from this kind of cough, he/she should consider isolating themselves till they are cured of it. This will stop the further spread of the disease.

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Signs and Symptoms of Whooping Cough

Do you have Woughing Cough? (Image by Engin Akyurt/Unsplash)

Although this kind of cough starts with mild symptoms, not diagnosing and treating this cough at the right time will make it even worse. A few of the most common symptoms that are seen when a person is infected are a sore throat, blocked nose, runny nose, feeling feverish, watery eyes, and many more. These symptoms are seen in the initial stage of the cough.

In the later stages, the coughing gets worse and is very rapid. Coughing lasts for 5-10 minutes and again resumes after a mild break. Sometimes the coughing gets so bad that it makes a person choke. They feel like they are suffocating and can barely breathe. In some cases, the face turns blue because of extreme coughing. This condition is called cyanosis.

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Treatment for Whooping Cough

Several antibiotics can fight this cough(Image by Volodymyr Hryshchenko/Unsplash)

If a person is infected with pertussis they need to be treated at the earliest with antibiotics. Several over-the-counter antibiotics like azithromycin, erythromycin, and many more can help cure this cough. This can reduce severe conditions and duration of this cough. In babies, this kind of cough has to be treated urgently as it can cause death if not treated.

Staying at home is recommended. Eating small meals can lessen vomiting. Lots of fluids and plenty of rest are also necessary. Exposed family members can be given preventative antibiotics to stay safe. DTap and Tdap are two different vaccines that can protect children against this kind of cough.

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However, in cases that are serious and need immediate medical attention, rushing to the hospital is the best thing to do. They can monitor breathing and give oxygen if required. They can take out the dry mucus by using suction and can also give fluids in case of dehydration and when a person cannot eat because of pain or vomiting. This will help them save their lives and prevent any future complications and dangers.