Whooping Cough is a highly infectious bacterial infection tends to occur in epidemics every few years. Thick, sticky mucus give rise to a spasmodic cough and the difficulty in inhaling with this gives the characteristic whooping sound.
Whooping Cough is mostly seen in children and in babies it can be serious, so get professional help as soon as possible. Symptoms can linger on for several weeks, so continue to help breathing by the measures listed below.
Home remedies for Whooping Cough
Whooping Cough Treatment using Aromatherapy and Essential Oils
Relief for the condition is most dramatic with steam; either use inhalations or with infants simply hold them near steam, such as a basin filled with piping hot water or near a hot bath (make sure they do not touch very hot water). Very good oils to add to the steam are Cypress , Lavender and Tea Tree.
Herbalism - Herbal Remedies for Whooping Cough
Start to give herbal teas at the first sign of coughing and do not wait for the respiratory distress that can set in with the whoop. Use steam to free the mucus. In young babies, diluted teas should be strong enough and older children may need infusions for cough. Look at these herbs, and use a blend of the most appropriate:
CHAMOMILF. (Chamomilla recutita): helps to calm the person down, reduces catarrh and accompanying nausea.
COLTSFOOT (Tussilago farfara): one of the best cough remedies, helping to ease the spasmodic nature of the cough.
LAVENDER (Lavandula vera): a relaxing expectorant, soothing the cough and breathing and also generally calming.
THYME (Thymus vulgaris): highly antiseptic, soothing the dry cough that may herald the start of the problem.
WHITE HOREHOUND (Marrubium vulgare): good expectorant, loosening the sticky mucus and reducing spasm.
An alternative treatment that can work wonders as whooping cough remedy is to chop or crush two cloves of garlic into 15 ml (1 tbsp) of honey and leave for a couple of hours, or even overnight. Give up to 5 ml (1 tsp) either neat or diluted in a little warm water, 4 times a day.
Homeopathy and Whooping Cough Treatment
Ideally seek qualified advice for this cough, but a remedy often used for the characteristic rapid paroxysmal cough is Drosera. Often the bout of coughing can result in vomiting. If children have been in contact with whooping cough, it can be worth trying this remedy as a prophylactic: give 3 doses of 30c dilution in a 24-hour period.
Naturopathy - Whooping Cough Natural Home Cures
Keep the fluid intake high, especially if there is vomiting with the coughing bouts; also give only small amounts of light food. Avoid dairy products in order to lessen mucus production, and give easily digested foods. For older children, supplementing diet with 500 mg Vitamin C daily for a couple of weeks will help to boost the immune system - reduce or stop if diarrhoea develops.
Try to keep the diet light, wholesome and low in dairy foods for quite a while after the initial symptoms have eased, as any build-up in mucus can cause more problems for several weeks.
