06 December 2023 , 11:19
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Whooping cough is prevalent in the UK at the moment, and there are little-known symptoms in the eye you should be aware of.
Whooping cough, according to the NHS, is a "highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways", and it can cause bouts of coughing for "two to three months or more". It's highly contagious because it is "spread in the droplets of coughs or sneezes of someone with the infection".
The first symptoms of whooping cough are very similar to a cold, including a runny nose, a sore throat, and a raised temperature - and it's not until about a week later that the "intense coughing" begins.
The coughing tends to be in "bouts", and they tend to happen during the night time. Also, "coughing usually brings up thick mucus and may be followed by vomiting" due to the force of the coughing. But did you know that there's a little-known symptom that you should look out for in your eye that could make it obvious you've got the illness?
The NHS warns that: "The strain of coughing can cause the face to become very red, and there may be some slight bleeding under the skin or in the eyes."
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The reason that the cough is called "whooping cough" is because between coughing, you may "gasp for breath" and it may cause a "whooping sound", but not everybody will experience this part of the illness.
"Young children can sometimes briefly turn blue (cyanosis) if they have trouble breathing", the NHS shared, but they reassured that this often "looks worse than it is", and they should start breathing again quickly. And in young babies, the cough may not be "particularly noticeable", but there may be "brief periods where they stop breathing."
Eventually, the bouts of coughing will become "less severe and frequent", but it may be a few months until the cough goes away completely. To try and ease symptoms, get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for a fever.
If you, or someone you know, have significant breathing difficulties, such as long periods of breathlessness or choking, shallow breathing, periods where breathing stops, or dusky, blue skin, or you develop signs of serious complications of whooping cough, such as fits (seizures) or pneumonia, call 999 or visit A&E.
Speak to your GP or phone 111 if you have symptoms of whooping cough, you've had a cough for more than three weeks, or your cough is getting worse.