Whooping cough is a common infectious pathology of the respiratory tract that can cause partial intoxication of the body. This disease is accompanied by a strong paroxysmal cough. It is mainly diagnosed in children, especially infants, since their immunity is more susceptible to outside influences. Although adolescents and adults who have not been vaccinated can also get whooping cough.
What is a disease?
The development of pertussis bacteria Bordatella pertussis. This disease of the respiratory tract is very contagious, almost everyone after communicating with an infected person subsequently becomes ill. Pertussis was previously considered an exclusively childhood illness, but recently the number of infected adults and adolescents has increased. This pathology is difficult at any age.
With whooping cough, the latent period is from 2 to 14 days. Such an infection is transmitted exclusively by airborne droplets. The total duration of the disease is at least 6 weeks. Vaccination against whooping cough does not completely protect the body, even after having been ill, you can again become infected.
The disease is divided into two forms: abortive and atypical. In the latter case, coughing fits are rare, without a strong fever. The abortive form is characterized by acute development. First, a sore throat appears, then a cough occurs with whooping cough without sharp spasms. After a few days, the symptoms of the disease can go away on their own. But it should be remembered that whooping cough is a dangerous pathology, and if it is not detected in time, complications can arise, sometimes deadly.
Causes of bacterial infection
The main source of the spread of the disease is an infected person. Most dangerous are pathologies with an atypical or erased form of the course.
The spread of the disease is difficult to prevent, since the incubation period cannot be seen, and catarrhal pertussis is too mild. That is why many do not pay attention to the first symptoms of the disease. The patient begins to be alert when coughing with whooping cough lasts several minutes, making breathing very difficult. Given these features of the course of the disease and the beginning of its development, it is not surprising that the isolation of an infected person in many cases occurs late.
It should be noted that cases of infection from domestic and wild animals were recorded, although pathology in this case is considered to be a pertussis-like disease. In this case, the cough also disturbs the person.
Whooping cough: symptoms
As already mentioned, the disease lasts about 5-6 weeks. It is divided into three main stages: catarrhal, paroxysmal, and recovery.
The catarrhal stage can last 14 days. During the prodromal period, a constant dry cough worries a person. Pertussis at this stage passes without an increase in temperature. It is at this stage that the diagnosis is often mistaken. The patient can be diagnosed with bronchitis or SARS. With the development of the disease, a strong cough appears. Pertussis at this stage is very contagious, but stopping it during this period is much easier.
The bacteria that cause this infection lose their activity daily, and by the end of the third week they are completely weakened. But even during this period of time, the patient can manage to infect many people who surround him.
2-3 weeks after infection, the paroxysmal stage occurs. At this stage, a spasmodic cough occurs. Out of attacks, the patient feels rather well, his behavior remains the same. When the cramp is approaching, they are nervous, complaining of a sore throat. Then the cough (with whooping cough in children, it gradually increases) becomes paroxysmal and convulsive. It makes it difficult to breathe.
When the condition returns to normal (usually after 12 aftershocks), air whistles into the airways. This moment is called a reprise.
During an attack, from 3-6 coughing spasms with reprise are observed. At the same time, the face of the infected person turns blue or red, the tongue is stuck forward, and veins swell around the neck. Even with such attacks, convulsions may occur or spontaneous urination may occur. Possible loss of consciousness. That's why parents need to know what cough with whooping cough to avoid relapse.
Even at the end of the spasm, a lot of viscous and thick sputum is separated, sometimes it comes to vomiting. An attack occurs for various reasons, for example, due to violent emotions, a sharp noise or fuss. In the paroxysmal period, temperature rarely rises. But often whooping cough is accompanied by a cough at night, which prevents sleep.
After this, the recovery phase begins. It is believed that this stage begins from the second month of the disease, overall health improves, and cough becomes more rare.
Condition after illness
Cough after whooping cough is able to disturb a person who has had this pathology for a long time. He can remind himself for a long time, it all depends on immunity. Residual cough is of an asthmatic and allergic nature, therefore it is better to be examined nevertheless.
The presence of such a symptom is explained by the fact that the cough center is very irritated during the disease, and after treatment the overexcited cells provoke a cough after pertussis for some time. During this period, doctors advise to guard against various infections.
How to detect a disease?
This pathology of the respiratory tract is difficult to diagnose. She is often confused with para-pertussis-like infections. However, it should be remembered that the causative agent of this disease is transmitted only by airborne droplets. Cough with whooping cough in children and adults is so specific that a doctor can determine the disease only after hearing an infected person.
Before making a diagnosis, the doctor first collects an anamnesis about the patient. The information obtained often indicates a possible infection during the patient's contact with a previously infected person with whooping cough. After all, this ailment cannot appear against a background of acute respiratory diseases or be a complication of other infections.
In the diagnosis, it is difficult to distinguish this pathology from existing chronic ailments during an exacerbation and occupational respiratory diseases.
Symptoms of pertussis suggests the presence of this particular disease, since coughing with it is quite specific. To clarify the alleged diagnosis, the patient is taken to sow the discharge during coughing to study the special environment and the microflora developing on it. In addition, additional examinations are performed to assess the general condition of the patient.
Complications of whooping cough
As already known, young children are most susceptible to this disease, especially infants. Moreover, infants are able to tolerate whooping cough without coughing. But it is they who have a high probability of complications after the disease. Most often, this bacterial infection leads to the following problems:
- dehydration;
- temporary holding or stopping breathing;
- pneumonia (in other words, pneumonia);
- losing weight due to frequent vomiting;
- cramps
- impaired brain function;
- kidney failure, which requires temporary dialysis.
Moreover, disturbances in brain activity and pneumonia can lead to negative consequences, up to death. True, such cases are rare.
Complications also develop in adults and older children with this disease, but not as often as in babies, and it is easier to tolerate. Less severe consequences of whooping cough include the appearance of bruises on the ribs and bleeding from the nose due to a strong cough, as well as swelling of the face, the formation of ulcers in the mouth and tongue. In addition, otitis media may develop.
If a pregnant woman is infected with whooping cough, then she may face a miscarriage. Of course, such cases are extremely rare, since adults in most cases are vaccinated against this ailment. Nevertheless, this happens. When carrying a child, the severe course of the disease is especially dangerous, when up to 30 coughing attacks occur per day. Also, this bacterial infection can affect the development of the baby.
It must be remembered that cough with whooping cough is the main symptom of this pathology. To avoid these effects, you should immediately consult a doctor when the mentioned symptom appears.
How to get rid of the disease with medications?
Cough with whooping cough is very difficult to treat. Treatment of this pathology is usually carried out at home, they are sent to a hospital if the patient has circulatory disorders of the brain and respiratory system.
Since a person suffers from a strong cough during the development of this bacterial infection, doctors try to alleviate his condition in various ways. To cure pertussis, the following drugs are prescribed:
- Mucolytic drugs. Basically, they are used in the form of inhalation to dilute sputum, to ensure that it is free of outflow.
- Bronchodilators. They prevent the occurrence of spasms and contribute to the expansion of the lumen of the bronchi.
- Vasodilator and sedatives. Such drugs help improve blood circulation in the brain, thereby preventing the development of oxygen starvation.
- Antitussive drugs. They are rarely prescribed, since with whooping cough they have low efficiency.
If you follow all the recommendations of a doctor, then you can quickly cure whooping cough. How long the cough lasts after this depends on the degree of neglect of the disease. In general, therapy for such an infection is carried out for individual purposes, because the course of the disease for each person is different.
For example, if a child is infected with whooping cough, or a severe degree of pathology is observed, the risk of hypoxia increases. In this case, oxygen therapy is performed. During this procedure, air enriched with pure oxygen is supplied to the child's body through a special tent for babies or a mask. Still perform treatment with nootropic drugs to improve brain metabolism.
In addition, they can prescribe a two-day intake of glucocorticosteroids to eliminate whooping cough. In this case, cough treatment is effective: the intensity of the attacks decreases, short-term respiratory arrest is eliminated.
In the event that a person suffering from whooping cough has hypersensitivity or individual intolerance to any drugs, doctors prescribe antihistamines. During rehabilitation and recovery, patients are recommended to take vitamins, especially groups B, A and C. They will help improve immune functions and restore the body faster after an illness.
It should be noted that whooping cough in adults is advisable to treat with antibiotics only in the first 10 days of illness or with the development of complications in the form of pneumonia and bronchitis. Otherwise, antibiotics are powerless.
Alternative infection control
Alternative medicine will help relieve cough with whooping cough. Asparagus tincture has proven itself in the treatment of this ailment. For its preparation, you need shoots of this plant, which should be chopped, added to a thermos, pour boiled water and leave for 3 hours. The finished drink is consumed one tablespoon several times a day after meals.
Relieving cough with whooping cough will result in a herbal collection consisting of thyme, anise fruits, pine buds, knotweed, dill seeds and licorice root. All these components should be mixed in equal proportions (1 teaspoon) and pour water for infusion. After a few hours, the mixture should be put on fire and boiled for 2 minutes. The resulting broth must be cooled, and then strain it well. It should be consumed half an hour before meals 3 times a day, 150 ml each.
A positive result with whooping cough has honey with black radish. A large root crop is used to prepare this drug. First, radish is thoroughly washed, after which the upper part is cut from it and a little pulp is removed from the inside. Honey is poured into the obtained depression and, covering the root crop with the cut part, leave for 2.5 hours to isolate the juice. Then this mixture is taken in 1 small spoon at least 5 times a day before meals. Moreover, radish juice with honey is allowed to be given to children for the treatment of whooping cough. This therapy lasts until the disease passes into the stage of recovery. With this tool it will turn out not only to alleviate the patient’s condition, but even to avoid the development of complications.
Another effective remedy for whooping cough is a mixture of honey and sunflower seeds. It is not difficult to cook it: first, the seeds are dried in a frying pan or in the oven, then they are crushed and filled with water and honey. This means is brought to a boil and boiled until half the contents remain in the pan. The broth cools, filtered and drunk during the day in small sips.
Essential oils of camphor tree and fir, vinegar 6% will help cure pertussis at home. These ingredients are mixed in equal proportions until a homogeneous mass. A small piece of tissue is moistened in it, which is then squeezed and applied to the upper chest. It is better to make a compress in the evening before going to bed. It is undesirable to perform this procedure for persons under 13 years of age.
You can eliminate the symptoms of whooping cough with onion syrup, which is easy to do. First you need to finely chop the onion without husks and put it in a glass bowl. In this container, add 4 more tablespoons of sugar, then close it with a lid and leave for 4 hours. During this time, onions will secrete enough juice, which will become a cure for whooping cough. To drink such a syrup throughout the day, 1 small spoon every 2 hours. The therapeutic course lasts until complete recovery.
Supporting measures
Even after you manage to cure whooping cough, a cough will still bother a person for a long time. Therefore, doctors recommend walking often and often to improve the protective functions of the body. Well, if there is an opportunity to spend this time in the country or in the village, to visit the forest and near the reservoir. Moist air without exhaust gases, saturated with oxygen, will help to quickly restore strength after an illness.
Whooping cough is not a seasonal disease like the flu or SARS, so you can catch it even in the summer. In winter, overcooling should be avoided during walks. It is necessary to constantly carry out wet cleaning, especially in the children's room. On top of that, you should get rid of carpets, soft toys, and other things that accumulate dust.
If you could not avoid the disease, then the room should clear the air of allergens that provoke the occurrence of cough. It is advisable to use a humidifier for such purposes. When the room has hot and dry air, with spasm, sputum (already viscous) can hardly move away, which can lead to the development of complications.
With whooping cough, not only medicines are prescribed, but also make up a diet:
- Products enriched with B vitamins - eggs, chicken liver, cottage cheese - are added to the diet.
- It is forbidden to eat smoked and fried foods.
- It is not recommended to drink tea, alcohol and coffee.
With this pathology, it is best to eat mashed soups. And you need to eat fractionally - in small portions and at least 6 times a day.
How not to get whooping cough?
Despite the fact that this pathology is extremely contagious, today there are methods known to help avoid infection. The most effective method is considered to be vaccination.
They give the child a pertussis vaccine three times - with a break of 6 weeks. Moreover, the first is done starting with three months of the baby’s life. Revaccination is carried out when the baby is one and a half years old. After it, immunity is developed against this infection for 5 years. But vaccination, unfortunately, cannot fully protect against pertussis. It only helps to transfer the disease easier.
Stable immunity is formed after a person is ill with this disease. Although re-infection is possible if the protective functions of the body are weakened for some reason. Vaccines such as Infanrix and DTP are used against pertussis. The first preparation is Belgian, and the second is Russian. Of course, there are others, but these are most often used in the fight against infection.
Vaccines differ in the type of pertussis component. In DTP, it is whole-cell, while in Infanrix it is cell-free. The last vaccine is more expensive, although doctors say that replacing drugs does not play a big role and does not reduce the effectiveness. The Russian vaccination is universal, since it is used to prevent not only whooping cough, but also diphtheria and tetanus. After it, a person develops antibodies that are sensitive to the antigens of bacterial cells.
Adults are not vaccinated against whooping cough, as they have already formed immunity after childhood vaccination. In addition, in the overwhelming majority of cases, a person during his life at least once suffers this disease, albeit in a milder form, taking it for a common cold.
As you know, such a pathology is transmitted by airborne droplets, the patient being the most infectious at the first stage of the disease. Therefore, you should know what cough with whooping cough to avoid complications. It is better to isolate the infected person from other family members for 2-3 weeks, depending on the course of the disease. Always need to ventilate the room in which it is located. Subject to the development of whooping cough, mainly children 6-7 years old.