Morphine Quieted Cough in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
A brief course of morphine provided some relief for patients with cough related to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in a small, phase II double-blind crossover trial. Two weeks of low-dose controlled-release morphine reduced objective awake cough frequency by 39.4% over a placebo treatment phase (95% CI -54.4 to -9.4), reported Philip Molyneaux, PhD, of Imperial […]
What’s The Deal With That Cough Everyone Seems To Have Right Now?
Brothers91 via Getty Images If you’ve had a cough you just can’t seem to shake, doctors suspect a certain virus may be causing it. ’Tis the season of respiratory illnesses. As we spend more time indoors and gather with friends and family to celebrate the holidays, cases of flu, COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) […]
Opinion | What Is the Narrative You Hear When Faced With Uncertainty?
The first week of my big attending job, I saw a patient with fever, sore throat, no cough, and tonsillar exudates. Well-trained to manage septic shock, but having no idea how to practice in a primary care clinic, I crafted a vast array of infectious and inflammatory diagnoses. With a quick glance, my senior partner […]
How Can I Get Rid of a Cold While Breastfeeding?
The safety of giving infants and children over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicine is important for caregivers to understand. While there is no “gold standard” recommendation for giving infants and children OTC cold and cough medicine for fever, aches, cough, and runny nose, a few standards have been recommended. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends […]
Whooping Cough: Treatment, Causes, Symptoms, Vaccine, Diagnosis
Whooping cough (pertussis) facts Whooping cough (pertussis) is an acute, highly contagious bacterial infection. Whooping cough (pertussis) is an acute, highly contagious bacterial infection. The bacterium Bordetella pertussis causes this respiratory infection. Whooping cough commonly affects infants and young children, but immunization with the pertussis vaccine can prevent the infection. Young infants are at the […]
Is Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Contagious?
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough symptoms include severe coughing fits and whooping sound produced during inhalation. The bacteria spreads via airborne droplets produced during sneezing or coughing. There is a whooping cough vaccine that is typically administered during childhood vaccinations. Whooping cough is considered highly […]