What helps whooping cough?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Antibiotics help if started in the first 3 weeks - they shorten illness and stop spread. Once the coughing is established, care is rest, fluids, and time; the cough can last weeks to months (the old name: the 100-day cough). The pattern: cold-like first week, then coughing bouts lasting minutes, worse at night, sometimes a whoop between bouts, thick mucus, vomiting after coughing. Babies under 6 months can stop breathing or turn blue after bouts - urgent hospital advice. Pregnant women and newborn contacts need prompt advice, and vaccination in pregnancy is the real shield. Stay home until 48 hours into antibiotics, or 2 to 3 weeks from cough onset without them. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you judge a persistent cough.
What to do
- Suspect it in a weeks-long night cough: especially with bouts, vomiting, or a whoop.
- Early antibiotics matter: first 3 weeks, for you and everyone around you.
- Babies under 6 months are urgent: blue or grey after coughing means hospital now.
- Respect the contagious window: home until 48 hours into antibiotics.
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