Has that nagging coughing bout been keeping you awake till the wee hours of the morning since ages? It’s time to know about the symptoms and signs of whooping cough and get a check-up done of the chronic cough, as the “just a cough” you may be experiencing can be serious enough to get urgent medical attention. Read on for the signs that you may be having a whooping cough.
The nagging cough spells
Any hacking cough that has been sticking around for more than eight weeks needs to be checked. You will be surprised but out of the 5 main reasons why one heads for the medical centers are related to the coughing spells.
This may be because of an upper respiratory tract infection, chronic upper airway cough syndrome, a lower respiratory tract infection, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), asthma, or just gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). But on the other hand it maybe bronchitis, emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a smoker’s cough or other medical conditions. All these mentioned above need to be diagnosed by a proper medical Practioner. Let’s glance through and view the coughing spells that may need help:
Phlegm
If you are coughing up excessive phlegm that is rust, or green in color or if the phlegm is foul smelling, it””s time to get medical consultation. These are indications of a bacterial infection that may need antibiotic intervention.
Blood spill
It is one of the common whooping cough symptoms. After a coughing bout if one ends up with a red colored sputum or drops of blood, it’s better to head to the medical examiner’s office and get your physical done.
Sound of the cough
A cough is characterized by the sound it makes. The cough may be the sound of a barking dog, a whoop, a whistle or just a constant coughing spell. Cough that is barking in nature, or leaves a whooping sound needs to be treated right away. There is a condition called a whooping cough that requires immediate attention. The sound of the cough specifies if it is a dry cough or not. If the cough results in breathing problems, it needs to be treated with antibiotics right away.
Loss of weight
Are you suffering from cough and also facing a loss of weight? It’s time to head to the doctor’s office. A prolonged cough leading to an unexplained and sudden loss of weight needs further medical investigations. Another cause of concern is a loss of appetite, fever and night sweats due to cough. This may be due to tuberculosis or some other infection.
Any cough like symptom where the patient feels an inflammation or pain in the calf accompanied by palpitations may be indicating heart failure.
