03/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/09/2024 05:00
Key takeaways:
Croup is a respiratory illness that causes inflammation and swelling of your voice box and windpipe. It's caused by several common cold viruses that are contagious.
While adults can get croup, it's rare. Croup can be dangerous for adults, as they can get very sick and need care in a hospital.
Symptoms of croup include congestion, hoarse cough, and noisy breathing. Adults usually have trouble breathing too.
Croup - or laryngotracheitis - is a respiratory tract infection that's caused by several common cold viruses. Infants and young children are more likely to develop croup. But adults can get it too. When adults get croup, they can become very sick
Here's what you need to know about adult croup symptoms and your options for treatment.
Croup is an upper respiratory tract infection that develops when viruses infect your larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe). "Adult croup" just refers to croup that affects adults.
Got more questions about croup? Check out our comprehensive guide on croup, including what it looks like in kids.
How croup spreads: The viruses that cause croup are contagious.You're most contagious in the first 3 days. Learn how to keep yourself and others safe.
RSV in adults: RSV is another respiratory infection that's more common in children. But adults get RSV too.
Several viruses can cause croup, including:
These viruses pass from person to person through respiratory droplets. When someone sick with these viruses talks, coughs, or sneezes, they release the virus into the air. You can get sick from breathing in these droplets.
Adult croup isn't really any different from childhood croup. It's caused by the same viruses and leads to similar symptoms. But adult croup is rare because adults have large, sturdier windpipes that don't often become swollen when infected with a virus.
Adult croup tends to be very serious because it's an unusual response to a viral illness.
Everyone reacts to respiratory viruses differently. Some people don't develop any symptoms. And most develop typical mild to moderate symptoms. But some people get really sick and develop serious symptoms.
Adults who develop croup belong to this last category. They become very sick because their windpipe becomes very swollen. Studies show that most adults who develop croup need care in an intensive care unit (ICU). They also need support to help them breathe.
Studies show that adults with croup almost always start with common cold symptoms, including:
Runny nose
Congestion
Sore throat
Low-grade fever
Fatigue
But over the next 1 to 2 days, the virus spreads from the nose and throat to the voice box and windpipe. Then, adults develop croup symptoms, like:
A deep, hoarse, barking cough
Voice changes or voice loss
Noisy breathing (stridor)
Trouble breathing
Shortness of breath
Croup symptoms usually get worse before they get better. If you develop croup symptoms or have any trouble breathing, see a healthcare professional right away. Your symptoms are likely to get worse. And you may need treatment in a hospital to help you breathe.
There's no cure for croup. But treatments can help ease symptoms and make it easier to breathe. Most adults with croup need treatment in a hospital. Here's an overview of what treatment may include.
Many people need extra (supplemental) oxygen when they're sick with croup. That's because they have trouble getting enough air through their swollen windpipe. And getting extra oxygen makes it easier to breathe.
Some experts recommend humidified oxygen to treat croup. But there isn't strong evidence to show it's more helpful.
You can receive supplemental oxygen through a nasal tube or mask. If you have a lot of trouble breathing, you may need to receive oxygen through a machine that also helps support your breathing, like a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine or ventilator.
Inhaled epinephrine temporarily relieves airway swelling. This lets oxygen reach your lungs. People who get inhaled epinephrine treatments can breathe easier. But the effects wear off quickly. You may need several treatments while you're sick.
Steroids relieve the swelling in your windpipe, but they take several hours to take effect. You may receive steroids through an IV (intravenous) line, an injection, or by mouth. Depending on how much swelling you have in your windpipe, you may need several doses of steroids.
Once the steroids start to work, the swelling in your airway will decrease. Your symptoms will also start to go away. Steroids that can help treat croup include:
If you have other medical conditions, your healthcare team may adjust your regular medication while you're sick. This includes adjusting your daily inhaler medications if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.
There are some remedies that you can try at home to help with your recovery. Here are some things that can help lessen lingering discomfort:
Try a humidifier. A humidifier adds moisture to the air, which may help relieve lingering symptoms like a sore throat.
Stay hydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of water as you recover so you stay well-hydrated.
Get plenty of rest. Being sick can make it hard to sleep, but your body needs rest to recover. Consider sleeping in a more upright position to make it easier to breathe.
The best way to avoid getting sick with croup is to stay away from people who are sick.
While croup itself isn't contagious, the viruses that cause it are very contagious. To avoid getting croup, stay away from adults and children with any kind of respiratory or cold symptoms.
If someone in your home is sick, you probably can't avoid them completely. But to lower your chances of getting sick, you can take the following steps:
Wear a mask and stay at least 3 feet away from your sick household member.
Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your face, eyes, and mouth.
Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
Encourage your household members to cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue.
Don't share cups and utensils.
RSV can cause croup. And so can other viruses like parainfluenza and rhinovirus. In other words, RSV is a virus, while croup is a type of respiratory tract infection caused by viruses such as RSV. Like croup, RSV infections are more common in children, but adults can get RSV too.
With similar symptoms, croup can be mistaken for other upper respiratory infections like the common cold, laryngitis, or strep throat.
Some of the same viruses that cause croup can also cause acute bronchitis, sometimes called a "chest cold." While croup affects the upper respiratory tract, bronchitis is a lower respiratory tract infection.
Croup (laryngotracheitis) is an upper respiratory tract infection that causes swelling in your voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). Several viruses can cause croup, including common cold viruses, the flu, RSV, and COVID.
Adults don't usually develop croup because they have larger windpipes. But in the rare case when an adult gets croup, they can become very sick. Most adults who develop croup need care in a hospital or intensive care unit. If you develop noisy breathing, a deep, barky cough, or trouble breathing, see a healthcare professional right away.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Precautions to prevent transmission of infectious agents.
Kashiura, M., et al. (2022). The steeple sign of croup in an adult. Internal Medicine.
Moore, M., et al. (2006). Humidified air inhalation for treating croup. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Patel, J. J., et al. (2017). A narrowing diagnosis: A rare cause of adult croup and literature review. Case Reports in Critical Care.
Smith, D. K., et al. (2018). Croup: Diagnosis and management. American Family Physician.
By signing up, I agree to GoodRx's Terms and Privacy Policy, and to receive marketing messages from GoodRx.