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Learn to recognize the symptoms of Mumps

What is mumps?

Mumps is a viral disease caused by a type of Rubulavirus. Severe complications are extremely rare, but a Mumps infection should not be take lightly but since mumps can lead to permanent deafness, inflammation of the ovaries (oophoritis), inflammation of the breasts (mastitis), miscarriage, inflammation of the testicles (orchitis), and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Before routine vaccination of children against mumps was introduced in the United States, the mumps virus was the leading cause of viral meningoencephalitis in the country.

Which are the most common symptoms of mumps? Several mumps symptoms can easily be confused with a normal cold or influenza, such as tiredness, a sore throat, loss of appetite, headache, fever and muscle aches. The distinguishing Mumps symptom is instead a characteristic swelling of the parotid salivary glands. This symptom is displayed by over 90 percent of mumps patients. Chewing problems are also common, since chewing frequently cause pain behind the lower jaw in mumps patients. The parotid glands are located inside the cheek; below the ears close to the jaw line.


How is mumps transmitted? Mumps virus spreads via respiratory secretions and saliva. The incubation time varies from 12 to 25 days, but 16-18 days are most common. You can spread the virus for several days before you notice any symptoms, a factor which contributes to the contagiousness of mumps. You can also continue to spread the virus for up to 9 days after the symptoms have disappeared.

How is mumps treated? There is currently no specific treatment available for mumps. The doctor will instead try to relieve the symptoms and watch out for any signs of complications. If you are suffering from mumps, you can often relieve some of the symptoms by applying an ice pack or heat on the neck area. Gurgling with salt can make the throat feel less sore. Plenty of fluids are important, especially if you have a fever. Commonly available over the counter pain killers are usually strong enough to threat mumps pains. Most patients prefer to stick to soft types of food. Sour fruit and other acidic foods will stimulate the infected salivary glands, which can increase the pain significantly.

How can I prevent mumps? After a mumps infection, the patient will usually develop life-long immunity against the mumps virus. This characteristic has made it possible to create a highly affective mumps vaccine. Today, the mumps vaccine is included in the so called MMR-vaccine. In addition to mumps, the MMR vaccine will also protect you from measles and rubella. Since a mumps infection can cause severe complications, including sterility, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend routine vaccination of children.

Mumps continues to be a significant health problem in parts of the world where vaccine programs and medical treatment of severe cases of mumps are not readily available. Mumps outbreaks also appear from time to time in developed countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Between 2004 and 2006, mumps outbreaks infected over 70,000 patients in the United Kingdom. The affected group was young adults who where too old to have received the MMR vaccine as children, but still too young to have gone through a mumps infection during childhood since mumps infections were quite rare when they grew up.