Cough - Whooping Cough
Whooping Cough is one of the commonest respiratory symptoms. It is defined as a sudden and variable expiratory thrust of air from the lung and air passages. It is a means of clearing the trachea, bronchi and lungs of secretions and foreign bodies.
The disease appears to be endemic, with seasonal outbreaks, especially during the winter months. The incubation period is between one and two weeks after exposure.
Cough is thus a protective mechanism and prevents stagnation within the air passages.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is still a very serious disease when it occurs in children under the age of one year old.
The act of coughing, usually comprises a sudden and severe or violent expiration after a deep inspiration and closure of vocal cords.
It commonly affects infants during the first year of life, if they are not immunized. Many cases of whooping cough occur in children up to five years of age. In some cases, children up to 12 years may also be affected.
In the more advanced stages, it's marked by the symptom that gives the disease its name: a severe, hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like "whoop." Anyone who has been vaccinated or has suffered from whooping cough will have a degree of immunity to the disease. They may contract a mild case some years later but this will not develop into a full-blown attack.
Types of Cough and Causes
Whooping cough is caused by a bacteria (Bordetella pertussis) and is one of the most contagious bacterial infections. The actual cause of the whooping cough, is however, is feeding the children with refined and dermineralised foods and the absence of sufficient quantity of fresh fruits and salad vegetables in their diet. This results in accumulation of excessive quantities of catarrh and mucus in the child's system.
1. Dry, irritable cough of early lung tuberculosis.
2. Dry, hawking cough of chronic pharyngitis, infection of larynx and trachea.
3. Dry, night cough or chronic pharyngitis.
4. Dry, reflex cough of diaphragm irritation.
5. Barking cough of hysteria and nervousness.
6. Brassy metallic cough of tumors within the thorax below the breastbone.
7. Short, suppressed cough of inflammation of pleural membranes that cover acute pneumonia.
8. Paroxysmal cough of whooping coughs, asthma.
9. Smoker's cough due to chronic respiratory tract inflammation. the lungs,
Sign and Symptoms of Whooping Cough
Coughing attacks may occur up to 40 times a day and the disease can last for up to eight weeks.
The child goes on coughing. His face becomes red and suffused, the tongue protrudes and the eyes begin to water. At the end of the bout, the child takes a deep breath and there is a prolonged croaking sound which is called a whoop. This sound is produced by the air entering through a partially closed glottis. The patient will eventually cough up some phlegm and these attacks may well be followed by vomiting. The child's temperature is likely to remain normal. This gives the disease its name. The child brings out sticky secretion from his nose and mouth and very often vomits. At the end of the bout, the child lies back exhausted.
List of some common sign and symtoms of whooping cough are:
- A runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Sneezing
- Red, watery eyes
- A mild fever
- Dry cough
- General feeling of being unwell and loss of appetite
After a week or two, signs and symptoms become worse and usually include:
- Severe coughing attacks that bring up thick phlegm.
- Coughing attacks - up to 15 coughs in a row - that end with a high-pitched whoop sound as you gasp for air. These may be so severe that your child vomits or turns red or blue from the effort.
- Fatigue from coughing so much.
Complications of Cough
1. Fainting (Cough Syncope)
2. Rupture of Lung (Pneumothorax).
Treatment
Most cases of whooping cough require no specific treatment. Infants and small children with other conditions such as asthma require constant monitoring which, at least for a while, is best done in a hospital. The effect of antibiotics is uncertain but they are sometimes used in the early period of the disease. There is no medical treatment against whooping cough as such. However, the infectious period may be reduced by giving certain antibiotics (such as erythromycin (eg Erythroped)).
Severe cases of whooping cough may require hospitalization, respiratory support, and nutritional and rehydration therapy.
Other Effective Treatment Methods for treating Cough
- Orange juice will be especially beneficial.
- It can be given diluted with warm water on 50:50 basis.
- Good nursing care is essential to the treatment of whooping cough.
- The child patient should be isolated from others and kept in a well ventilated room.
- You should give warm water daily to the affective person during the whooping cough period.
- He should wear loose clothes and must be given plenty of liquids in between the attacks of coughing.
Prevention Tips
1. Saline gargles
2. Cough syrups
3. Steam inhalations to humidify air
4. Drink water.
5. Avoid smoking.
6. Consult a doctor.
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