Whooping cough is medically known as pertussis. Whooping cough is a severe, hacking cough that is followed by a high-pitched intake of breath, which sounds like a 'whoop'. Whooping cough is a contagious condition that involves an infection of one’s respiratory tract or system.Though it starts as cold, whooping cough eventually turns into a serious ailment. The disease is more common amongst children and teenagers, though others might also get affected by it. Highly contagious in nature, whooping cough, at times, makes it difficult for the affected child to eat, drink or breathe.
The bacterial infection in lungs, caused by bacterium Bordetella pertussis, is called whooping cough. A contagious disease, it leads to severe coughing, which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting and perspiration. Some of the common symptoms of whooping cough are sore throat, mild dry cough, sneezing, tears, tiredness, loss of appetite, night cough, vomiting, retching, nosebleeds and diarrhea. Though it starts with a mild cough, whooping cough develops into severe coughing, if not treated on time. Whooping cough can, however, be treated with home remedies as well. The initial signs and symptoms of this condition are quite similar to that of the common cold. Sneezing, a runny nose, low fever and a mild cough are some of the symptoms of this condition.
Causes of Whooping Cough
- Bronco-pneumonia
- Infection of middle ear
- Convulsions
- Micro-organisms Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis
- Through tiny drops of fluid, from an infected person's nose or mouth.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough
- Cold
- Mild cough
- Mild fever
- Night cough
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Tears while coughing
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Low-grade fever
- Tiredness
Home Remedies:
There are several home remedies however that can help in treating this condition.
Ginger is considered to be one of the best remedies for treating this condition. Grate a piece of ginger and then extract the juice from the shavings. Simultaneously you will need to boil a cup of water (250 ml) and then add a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds to the boiling water. Let the two simmer for a while on a low flame, till the quantity of water is reduced to half. Once the decoction cools add a teaspoon of the ginger juice and honey to it and stir. This mixture should be sipped on slowly. It will help in gaining relief from the cough.
Mix a teaspoon each of honey and freshly extracted radish juice. Add a dash of rock salt and mix all the ingredients well. This concoction should be had three times day to help reduce symptoms. Another effective remedy involves the use of almond oil. About 5-6 drops of the oil have to be mixed with 10 drops of ginger juice and onion juice. This mixture has to be consumed three times in a day. Garlic syrup is also recommended for this condition. Half a teaspoon of the syrup has to be had 2-3 times’ a day in order to treat the illness. It should be had more often, if in case the coughing spells tend to get more violent and frequent. Roast 2-3 cloves and then grind them into a fine powder. This should then be added to a teaspoon of powdered milk or sugar. A dash of this mixture if had 3-4 times a day will also help in treating this condition.
Few More Home Remedy For Whooping Cough
- One of most effective home remedies for whooping cough would be to have a cup of grape juice, mixed with a tsp of honey, on a daily basis.
- Roast and powder the root of turmeric. Take 3 grams of this powder, along with milk, two times a day.
- Soak 7 almonds in water, overnight. In the morning, remove the brown skin and pound the almonds, to form a paste. Now, add 20 grams each of butter and sugar. Consume the paste two times a day, in the morning and evening.
- Finely chop an onion and extract its juice. Mix 1 tsp of this juice with 1 tsp of honey and keep it aside. Consume it after four to five hours.
- Cut a small slice of ginger and dip it in some rock salt and lemon juice. Store this in an airtight container. Lick this whenever the cough attacks.
- Crush a medium-sized onion and add the juice of one lemon to it. Now, pour a cup of boiling water over it and add a tsp of honey. Take this 2 to 3 times a day.
- Mix 2 grams of the pulp of the herb of belleric myrobalan, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp long pepper and 2 tsp honey. Have this mixture two times a day.
- Aniseed is helpful in treating whooping cough. Prepare a tea with it and have it 1-2 times in a day.
- Extract garlic juice and have a tsp of this, 2 to 3 times a day. This is an effective way to treat whooping cough.
- In a cup of water, add a tsp each of fenugreek seeds and fresh ginger, along with a dash of honey. Bring the water to a boil and allow it to cool. Strain the drink and consume it.
- Dry the herb of belleric myrobalan and cover it with wheat flour. Now, roast the herb and consume it.
- Grind 100 gm of raisins, with water. Add 100 gm of sugar to the paste. Once it forms a saucy consistency, preserve it. Have 20 grams of this mixture everyday, before going to bed.
- Mix 5-6 drops of almond oil and 10 drops each of ginger juice and onion oil. Have this mixture three times daily.
- Mix a tsp of fresh radish juice with equal quantity of honey. Add some rock salt and form syrup. Consume this every 8 hours.
- Take a tbsp of carrot juice, mixed with some honey and warm water. This proves beneficial in treating whooping cough.
If none of these remedies seem to work and the condition appears to be getting worse, then consulting a physician is highly recommended.
