A doctor warned that an uncomfortable symptom of Covid could get “worse at night”. According to the expert, this could also be a sign of other respiratory virus and might affect young children worse.
In a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, Doctor Suraj Kukadia, who is better known as Dr Sooj, explained more. He shared that people might be “wheezing more at night”.
This symptom could be caused by a cold, the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or COVID-19, he said.
This is the result of the airways swelling and narrowing, as well as a potential build up of mucus, making it more difficult for air to pass through.
Dr Sooj said: “This is why you’ve been wheezing more at night. So you might have been told that you or your child has a viral wheeze.
“This is when a respiratory virus like the cold, the flu, RSV, Covid anything like that can irritate and inflame your airways. And this causes them to swell narrow and produce lots of extra mucus.”
He described a wheeze as a “whistling or squeaking” sound. “This can lead to a wheezing, which is a whistling or a squeaking sound when you’re breathing out,” he continued. “It can also worsen a cough and lead to breathlessness.”
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Children are must vulnerable to wheezing, he warned. Dr Sooj said: “It can affect anyone but it usually affects young children particularly those who are preschool-aged and it’s worse at night because muscle tone drops and your airways relax when you’re asleep.
“Cortisol and adrenaline levels are naturally low overnight meaning that your airways can become narrower and this can worsen a wheeze.”
How to prevent wheezing
Dr Sooj shared some tips for preventing wheezing. He said: “To prevent it we wan to to minimise your exposure to things like smoking and other pollutants.
“You want to wash your hands regularly to reduce your viral spread. It’s important to keep up with your immunisations and if you have asthma or COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] make sure that you’re using your inhalers regularly and with good technique.”
He added: “Remember a viral wheeze is not the same as asthma, although sometimes children who have recurrent episodes are later diagnosed with asthma.”
When to seek help
Wheezing can mean that a respiratory virus has become more serious and might have developed into a chest infection or pneumonia.
Symptoms of a chest infection include:
- A chesty cough – you may cough up green or yellow mucus
- Wheezing and shortness of breath
- Chest pain or discomfort
- A high temperature
- A headache
- Aching muscles
- Tiredness
Pneumonia or bronchiolitis could lead to:
- A cough that gets worse
- Shortness of breath
- Faster breathing or long gaps between breaths
- Difficulty feeding (in babies) or loss of appetite
- Noisy breathing (wheezing)
- Confusion (in older adults)
The NHS says you should call 111 or book an urgent GP appointment if:
- You’ve had a cough for three weeks or more
- You’re coughing up blood
- You have chest pain that comes and goes, or happens when breathing or coughing
- You’re feeling short of breath
Whooping cough
Wheezing caused by a cold or similar respiratory viruses is different to the symptoms of whooping cough. The characteristic symptom of whooping cough means your child “may make a ‘whoop’ sound – a gasp for breath between coughs”.
If you think your child has whooping cough you should speak to a GP.