Whooping cough is endemic worldwide and tends to become epidemic every 2 to 4 years. The causative agent of whooping cough is a bacteria named Bordetella pertussis which is usually spread by droplets sprayed through the air by coughing during the early stages of the disease. The bacteria invades the mucus membranes of the nasopharynx, trachea, and bronchi and has an incubation of 7 to 14 days. The illness has 3 stages, the catarrah, paroxysmal, and convalescent. The entire cycle may last from 2 to 3 months. One of the old names of pertussis was the "100 day cough". Most cases are no longer infectious after the 8th week of the disease. Infected individuals should be quarantined so that the disease is not spread. The catarrh stage is insidious, and begins with sneezing, lacrimation, coryza, anorexia, listlessness, and a hacking nocturnal cough. Fever is not present in most cases. The cough usually becomes paroxysmal around 10 to 14 days after the onset of the catarrhal symptoms. The paroxysmal stage is characterized by 5 to 15 rapidly consecutive coughs followed by a hurried, deep inspiration that causes a whoop-like sound. The cough often produces copious amounts of viscid mucus accompanied by vomiting and gagging. After a few normal breaths a new cycle of coughing may develop leaving the sufferer breathless. They may turn blue, stop breathing, and suffer convulsions. Make sure the airways are clear of mucus and that the patient is not choking on vomited material. Use artificial respiration when it is necessary to assist the sufferer to breath. Make sure that infants are lying on their sides so that there is less chance of choking and the airways stay open. Call for medical assistance if needed. Infants under 2 years old are in danger of the most complications. In infants choking spells may be more common than the whooping sound associated with the cough. The convalescent stage usually begins 4 to 6 weeks after the onset of the disease. During this stage the cough becomes less severe and frequent, the vomiting decreases, and the patient begins to look better. This convalescence may be disrupted by a secondary infection that causes irritation of the respiratory tract. The most common complications are asphyxia, otitis media, pneumonia, hemorrhages, and convulsions, especially in the young. The weak and elderly are in danger of secondary infections, especially bronchopneumonia. In homeopathy the remedy Pertussin, the nosode of the Bordetella bacteria, is reputed to act as a preventative to whooping cough.

Materia Medica

Aconite (1): If a constant febrile condition prevails and when at the commencement the cough is dry, whistling, with soreness of throat. The child grasps at its throat with every cough, as if it were in pain. Great anguish, restlessness, fear and anxiety. Feverish, thirsty, heat and dryness.

Antimonium Tart (3): Suffocative cough, the child becomes stiff and blue in the face (corr-r., cup.). The chest seems full of phlegm, but does not yield to coughing. The cough causes gagging and vomiting phlegm. Great rattling of mucus with inability to expectorate. Drowsy and despondent. Fear of being alone yet does not want to be touch.

Belladonna (2): Frequent paroxysms worse < in the night, hard and barking, like croup. The child gets very red in face with every coughing spell (gets blue, Corr-r., Ip.). Eyes swollen, and the whites injected with blood. Bleeding of the nose. In beginning, or when it has attained a high degree of severity. Fever, red face, throbbing arteries, glistering eyes, dilated pupils, etc..

Carbo Veg. (3): A remedy for the beginning of whooping cough with gagging, vomiting and redness of the face. Every violent spill bring up a lump of phlegm, or is followed by retching, gagging, and waterbrush with cold sweat and cold pinched face. Wants to be fanned. Aversion to darkness, fear of ghost, sudden loss of memory.

Cina (2): The child stiffens out and there is a clucking sound in the throat when the little one comes out of the paroxysms. Grinding of the teeth during sleep. Paleness of face and blueness around the mouth and eyes. Spasms with jerking and twisting of muscles. Much picking of the nose and other worm symptoms. Ill humor, child very cross, does not want to be touch, or carried.

Coccus Cacti (2): Whooping cough with vomiting of clear, ropy mucus, extending in thick, long strings even to the floor (Kali-bi. yellow strings), waving back and forth, finally giving away. Protracted bronchial cough remains after pertussis. Cough worse < on first waking. Anxiety, after eating, in the night, 2 a.m. - 4 a.m. Seems confused.

Corallium Rubrum (2): Spasms of cough so violent that child loses its breath and turns purple and black in face. Takes very little food or drink. Spasmodic, convulsive cough. Head feels too large. Short, quick "minute gun" cough. Abusive with the pains, complaining and lamenting.

Cuprum (3): Violent and long-continued paroxysms of cough, completely exhausting patient. During the attack becomes rigid, turns black in face, seems as if dead (corr-r.). Vomiting after paroxysm, rattling of mucus in the chest between attacks. Cramps, especially flexor muscles. Tough, gelatinous mucus, rattling the chest with face and lips are bluish. Thumbs tucked in during cough. Anxiety before the attacks of cough. Weeping alternating with queer antics.

Hepar Sulph (2): Dry, spasmodic cough, with soreness of larynx, worse < towards morning. Cough sounds croupy, and causes choking. Rattling, choking cough, worse < after midnight. Can not bear to be uncovered, coughs when any part of body is exposed. Copious sour sweat, hasty speech and hasty drinking. Worse < chilly night air. Irritable, chilly, hypersensitive to pain, and impatient.

Ipecac (3):. Suffocative cough, the child becomes stiff and blue in the face, finally relaxes and vomits phlegm. The chest seems full of phlegm, but does not yield to coughing. The cough causes gagging and vomiting phlegm. Constant nausea with all complaints and disposition to hemorrhages. Restlessness, tosses about in the bed, capriciousness. tranquillity after anger.

Kali Bich (2). Violent rattling cough, with an effort to vomit. Choking cough, with expectoration of viscid yellow mucus, which can be drawn out into strings (clear Cocc-i.). Burning pain in trachea. Sadness after annoyance, talks to himself.

Kali Sulph (3): Whooping cough with retching, without vomiting. Yellow, slimy expectoration. Tongue coated with yellow mucus. Hot and sweaty. Hates the cough and weeps. Looks fair, fat, and forty even as a child. Anxiety from warmth.

Magnesia Phosporica (1): Convulsive, nervous, dry, spasmodic coughs ending in a whoop. The cough is in severe paroxysms with blue or swollen and livid face. Not much mucus. Shrieking with the pain, convulsive weeping.

Mephitis (2): Whooping cough where there is a well marked laryngeal spasm, a loud clear whoop. Spasmodic hollow deep cough with hoarseness and pain in chest. Inhalation difficult, exhalation almost impossible. Vomits all food some hours after eating. Worse < night and lying down. Indolence.

Pertussin: This remedy is a nosode made from the discharge of whooping cough. Can be used as a preventative as well as a curative remedy. Clark, the famous English homeopath, use it as a remedy in early cases and found it help to abort the disease. If the individual was not improving in a few days he would use another remedy.

Phosphorus (3): Towards the end of whooping cough the disease threatens to an unfavorable course, hollow, hacking spasmodic ticking cough, excited by tickling itching in chest, expectoration of tough whitish mucus during the day or rust-colored, bright, red, frothy bloody mucus. Much hoarseness almost total loss of voice. Burning piercing soreness and tension in chest. Comatose sleep in day, restlessness and clammy sweat at night. Lively, open, sensitive, friendly, etc..

Sanguinaria (3):. Dry cough awaking from sleep, and not easing till patient its up, with pains in chest, better > by discharges of flatus both ways, dysponea from afternoon till night, nocturnal diarrhea. Disgusting thoughts with nausea, desires to be held.

Repertorium

WHOOPING COUGH - acon., ANT-T., Bell., CARB-V., Cina., Cocc-c., CUPR., Hep., Ip., Kali-bi., Kali-s., Mag-p., Meph., Pert., PHOS., SANG..

clucking sound in the throat after paroxysms - Cina.

cramps, especially flexor muscles - Cupr.

expectoration -

clear, ropy mucus, extending in thick, long strings even to the floor- Cocc-c.

rust-colored, bright, red, frothy bloody mucus - Phos.

tough whitish mucus - Phos.

viscid, yellow mucus, can be drawn out into strings - Kali-bi.

yellow, slimy expectoration - Kali-s.

febrile condition prevails - Acon, Bell.

grinding of the teeth during sleep. - Cina.

mentals -

abusive with the pains, complaining and lamenting - Cor-r.

anguish, restlessness, fear and anxiety - Acon.

anxiety -

before the attacks of cough - Cupr.

warmth, from - Kali-s.

capriciousness - Ip.

darkness, aversion to - Carb-v.

desires to be held - sang.

disgusting thoughts with nausea - sang

drowsy and despondent - Ant-t..

fear of being alone yet does not want to be touch - Ant-t.

hasty speech and hasty drinking - Hep.

ill humor, child very cross,

does not want to be touch, or carried - Cina..

irritable, hypersensitive to pain, and impatient - Hep.

lively, open, sensitive, friendly, etc. - Phos.

restlessness, tosses about in the bed-Ip.

sadness after annoyance, talks to himself - Kali-bi.

shrieking with the pain - mag-p.

tranquillity after anger - Ip.

weeping -

alternating with queer antics - Cupr.

convulsive weeping - mag-p.

rattling of mucus with inability to expectorate - Ant-t.

thumbs tucked in during cough - CUPR.

vomiting - Ant-t., Carb-v., Ip., Kali-bi.

Disclaimer: This information is supplied for educational purposes only. It is not for the treatment of any individual person or disease. If you are suffering any particular complaint please consult a physician or call emergency services.