Whooping cough treatment

The medical term for whooping cough is pertussis. It is a very contagious infection of the upper respiratory system which is caused by bacteria. When it gets infected with this bacteria, the breathing passage gets irritated and that is when serious coughing occurs. This is not a disease which should be neglected because it can go on for months. Whooping cough consists of three stages. The name of the bacteria that causes this disease is Bordetella pertussis. This infection spreads through air. The incubation period lasts for a week or so.

Even if the case of whooping cough is not a severe one, a person should get checked by the doctor first. If the doctor does not keep the person in hospital, he or she can start using some of the home treatments to get rid of the cough. Because of the fact that this is a highly contagious disease a person suffering from it should be isolated for five days while he or she is on medications. Other people should avoid contact for the first five days but if they do get in the room surgical masks are advised. A person suffering from whooping cough should intake a lot of fluids, such as water, juices, soups and fruits in order to avoid dehydration. Since vomiting is usually present when a person is ill with whooping cough, small meals are advised.

Whooping cough symptoms in adults

These symptoms show themselves in three stages.In the first stage, these symptoms will not be different from those of a simple cold. Such symptoms include minor fever, sneezing, runny nose, dry cough and irritability.When the first stage passes after a week or two a person will get into the second stage. During this stage the cough gets more intense. A person will have problems getting air after the coughs. In addition to this, vomiting and nose bleeds follow the coughs.In the final stage the cough appears less and less but it may be a couple of months before a person is free of them. Pneumonia and encephalitis are some of the complications which are connected with this disease.

Treatment of whooping cough in adults

An important thing is that an adult gets one dose of Tdap vaccine for further protection against whooping cough. However, the best thing is to talk to a doctor about this. For children there is a whole plan of getting vaccinated against whooping cough on time. It is also good if a person spots the symptoms in the early stages because then they can be treated with proper medications.