Can whooping cough be treated with Chinese medicine?

Written by Li Jian Wu

Pulmonology

Updated on December 20, 2024

00:00

00:00

Whooping cough is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis or Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment is also an option. There are many commonly used traditional Chinese medicine formulas, such as Pediatric Whooping Cough Powder, Qingfei Zhike San, Feier Wan, Huachong Wan, Bai Ji Granules, Zuo Jin Wan, etc., which all have certain effects and efficacy in treating whooping cough. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that whooping cough is caused by pathogenic factors attacking the lung defense, reduced function of the lung's descending and clearing action, and cough symptoms due to qi moving in the wrong direction.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Li Jian Wu

Pulmonology

48sec

home-news-image

Is whooping cough an infectious disease?

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a contagious disease that is a respiratory tract infection. It primarily spreads through airborne droplets and close daily contact. Clinically, there is a vaccine available for this condition, mainly the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine. Following the vaccination schedule and developing antibodies can effectively prevent the disease. This disease has a lengthy course and can easily cause recurrent coughing episodes and persistent symptoms. It is important to correctly understand and be aware of the characteristics of its onset. If suspected, early examination and timely selection of medications for symptom control are essential, along with addressing the underlying cause.

home-news-image

Written by Zeng Hai Jiang

Pediatrics

36sec

home-news-image

How long does it usually take for the blood picture of pertussis to come down when it's too high?

Whooping cough is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis infection, commonly seen in children. The main clinical symptoms include typical paroxysmal spasmodic cough, crowing inspiratory whoop, with the cough being more prominent at night. In the peripheral blood, there will be a marked increase in white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, and lymphocyte classification. After a confirmed diagnosis of whooping cough, macrolide antibiotics are administered. After a week of aggressive treatment, the blood count typically decreases significantly.

home-news-image

Written by Zeng Hai Jiang

Pediatrics

52sec

home-news-image

How to determine whether it is the paroxysmal stage or the recovery stage of pertussis?

After the incubation period, typical whooping cough goes through three clinical stages. The first stage is the catarrhal stage, also called the pre-paroxysmal stage, during which the infectivity is the strongest. If treated promptly during this stage, the progress of the disease can be controlled. If the catarrhal stage is not effectively controlled, it then enters the paroxysmal stage. During the paroxysmal stage, the patient will experience episodic spasmodic coughing, with more severe episodes at night. During spasms, there will be neck vein distension, swollen and congested eyelids and face, and cyanosis of the lips. This stage can last up to two months. After the paroxysmal stage follows the convalescent stage, where the episodic spasmodic coughing gradually decreases and becomes less severe.

home-news-image

Written by Li Jian Wu

Pulmonology

45sec

home-news-image

How long is the contagious period of whooping cough?

The contagious period for whooping cough typically requires about 20-40 days and should be determined based on the amount of Bordetella pertussis bacteria in the body and the patient's constitution. Being a respiratory infectious disease, it spreads through the patient's coughs, sneezes, and discharge of secretions. If a person with a weak constitution and no antibodies comes into contact with the pathogen, healthy individuals might become infected and develop the disease, which is most commonly seen in infants under five years old. Thus, prevention is crucial for this disease. Vaccination should be administered at three months of age, and after antibodies are produced, reinfection generally does not occur.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

54sec

home-news-image

Is pertussis a Class B infectious disease?

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is definitely classified as a contagious disease. According to the current infectious disease management laws in our country, pertussis is categorized under Class B infectious diseases. After understanding that it is a Class B infectious disease, we should also be aware of how infectious diseases are classified in our country. They are divided into Class A, Class B, and Class C based on the level of harm caused by the disease. Simply put, the more harmful, the less effective the treatment, and the higher the mortality rate, the more likely the disease will be classified as Class A, such as plague and cholera. On the other hand, diseases that are less harmful, such as influenza, rubella, and leprosy, are classified under Class C.