Whooping cough is an upper respiratory tract infection that can cause severe illness in young children. In a surprising turn of events, there has also been a sudden rise in whooping cough cases among adults. Learn about your risk of contracting whooping cough, how to identify the symptoms, and treatment options available. Visit AFC Urgent Care Bound Brook for same-day cough diagnosis and treatment in Bound Brook, NJ.
What Is Whooping Cough
Whooping cough is caused by a bacterial infection that targets cilia, small hair-like structures that are an essential aspect of a functioning airway. The damage to the cilia causes a severe infection in the upper respiratory system which often produces a dry cough which causes a whopping sound. Whooping cough has been known to mainly affect children due to them not receiving the vaccine for whooping cough. Today, the whooping cough vaccine is routinely given to children at their annual check-ups. Without the vaccine, whooping cough can infect anyone, including adults.
Whooping cough is severely contagious. It is most commonly spread from person to person through airborne droplets released when coughing. Spreading a lot of time with someone who is sick nearby also can spread the infection. It may be weeks before you begin to develop symptoms, which means that you can unknowingly spread the illness to others. Due to how contagious whooping cough is and how severe the illness can be, even for healthy adults, it is important to understand the symptoms and risks associated with whooping cough.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough
Whooping cough symptoms may not appear until weeks after the infection occurs. Symptoms often start mild and mimic a cold before continuing to progress and worsen over time. Symptoms can last for weeks or even months and tend to slowly progress which often results in individuals seeking medical treatment later than they should.
Early symptoms of whooping cough:
- Low fever
- Congestion
- Fatigue
- Mild cough
- Runny nose
After two weeks, whooping cough symptoms tend to progress and become more serious. This can lead to the development of new or worsening symptoms such as:
- Uncontrollable coughing fits
- Wheezing
- Trouble breathing
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
Does Whooping Cough Require Medical Care?
Whooping cough can be an extremely serious illness for young children or anyone with pre-existing lung conditions. If you are suffering from mild cold symptoms, you may be exhibiting the early symptoms of whooping cough. Seeking medical care for mild symptoms can catch whooping cough early and prevent symptoms from worsening.
Because whooping cough is caused by a bacterial infection, it requires a medical diagnosis and treatment. Treatment usually requires a round of antibiotics that is prescribed by your healthcare professional. Early treatment can reduce the amount of time that you are contagious, reducing your risk of spreading your illness to others. Your medical provider will swap your throat and perform a blood test to confirm the presence of whooping cough before determining the best course of treatment.
Visit AFC Urgent Care Bound Brook for Illness Diagnosis & Treatment in Bound Brook, NJ
If you’re suffering from illness symptoms, it is vital to seek early medical care to ensure that you are not suffering from a more serious illness. AFC Urgent Care Bound Brook’s state of the art facility is equipped with a laboratory on-site, allowing our medical providers to preform advanced rapid diagnosis testing at the time of your visit. We never require an appointment to get fast and reliable medical care at AFC Urgent Care Bound Brook. Simply walk-in when it’s convenient for you, or schedule your visit online.
When you’re feeling under the weather, you can rely on AFC Urgent Care Bound Brook for comprehensive medical care. Our walk-in clinic is open 7 days a week with extended business hours so that you can get the care that you need when it’s convenient for you. We accept most medical insurance plans and offer low-cost care options. Walk-in today. For additional information regarding our clinic, please contact us directly at 732-469-3627.
