Mumps Symptoms and Complications
by adminMumps is a contagious viral disease, caused by the myxo virus, which has plagued the human race for centuries. The most common symptoms of mumps include headache, fever, loss of appetite, and swelling of the parotid and other glands. These symptoms are not usually serious, but mumps can cause some serious complications. Approximately 20-30% of infected people do not have any symptoms of mumps at all, and they are not aware that they even have the disease. Mumps is transmitted by airborne means or through direct contact with infected droplets or saliva, which are ejected from the body during coughing and sneezing. Vaccination is the best way to avoid the disease. A mumps vaccine can be given, but this only protects against mumps, so it is far more common for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to be given, as this immunizes the child against all 3 diseases.
The most common symptoms of mumps include headache, fever, loss of appetite, and swelling of the parotid and other glands. These symptoms are not usually serious, but mumps can cause some serious complications.
Approximately 20% of infected people do not have any symptoms of mumps at all, and they are not aware that they even have the disease.
The parotid glands produce saliva, and are located between the ear and jaw at the back of each cheek. These glands swell and become painful to touch during mumps, and often make the sufferer look like a hamster with food in its cheeks.
The parotid glands usually become increasingly swollen and painful over the course of a few days, and the pain is worst when the sufferer swallows, talks, chews, or drinks acidic juices (such orange or pineapple juice).
The swelling may be uneven or one-sided, even if both parotid glands are infected with mumps. For example, the parotid glands on one side may swell a few days before the other side, or, in other cases, only one side may swell at all.
Occasionally, mumps may affect other salivary glands, such as those found under the tongue or under the jaw, causing swelling and pain in these areas.
Other symptoms may appear in the first week after the parotid glands begin to swell and may include: drowsiness, stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, and convulsions.
In addition to the symptoms, mumps can also cause a range of serious complications, such inflammation and swelling of the brain and other organs, such as the pancreas, although this is uncommon. Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) are both rare and very serious complications of mumps.
Other rare complications caused by mumps include arthritis, kidney and pancreas problems, deafness, and inflammation of the thyroid gland.
Serious complications of mumps are more common among adults than among children.
Mumps in adolescent and adult males may also result in inflammation of the testicles (called that can orchitis), which causes a lot of pain and can also lead to sterility in very rare cases. Usually one testicle becomes swollen and painful, and this occurs about 7 to 10 days after the parotid glads swell. This testicular swelling may be accompanied by fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and shaking chills. Abdominal pain can sometimes be mistaken for appendicitis. In rare cases, both testicles can become becomes swollen and painful. Even when this occurs, sterility is a rare complication of mumps. After 3 to 7 days, the testicular pain, fever, and swelling usually subside.
In some females, the ovaries may be affected by mumps, and this can cause pain and tenderness in parts of the abdomen. Women may also be at risk for spontaneous abortions if they get mumps during the first trimester of pregnancy.
In other cases, the signs and symptoms of mumps can be so mild that no one suspects a mumps infection. Doctors believe that about 20-30% of people may have mumps infections without any symptoms.
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