The Myxo Virus causes the mumps which is a common disease that infects the salivary parotid glands and other parts of the body, it is primarily spread through saliva. Parents will often mistake the disease for a common cold or flu since swollen glands are caused by other infections. Mumps can be spread through airborne infection but it is highly contagious through direct contact.

Letting mumps run its course is the best option as with many other viral illnesses. Two to three weeks is the usual recovery time for this viral disease. Treatment with paracetamol is for those who come in contact with the disease and the individual should rinse their mouth daily and take in plenty of fluids. You should seek a physician for medical treatment if serious complications arise. For several centuries cases of the mumps have been diagnosed. Before 1967 when the first mumps vaccination was licensed there were over two hundred thousand reported cases in the United States. Now every year there are less than a thousand cases.

Children of one year or older are the most commonly affected. From the age of five to fourteen is the average age of children who get the disease in the last twenty years. Because of the immune system it is rare for a person to contract the disease once they are exposed to it. The bodies defense mechanism against the disease give a person life long immunity from the disease.

A pain below the ears is the start of mumps since the glands that are at the angle of the jaw are becoming inflamed as they are affected by the virus. Swelling will typically start under one ear lobe before is gradually spreads to the other side and eventually both sides of the face will have swelling. The swelling is usually accompanied by fever and headache which aren’t really bad until the second day. Then after this the temperature and swelling usually go down. Eight to ten days is the typical duration of mumps but there are rare cases in which mumps has lasted several weeks.

Symptoms of Mumps

Symptoms of the mumps disease including high fever, loss of appetite and swelling of the ears and jaws where the parotid glands are. Other symptoms that develop once the glands are swollen include stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and convulsions. Over the course of one to three days the parotid glands will become painful and the swelling will often cause complications in swallowing, talking, chewing or drinking acid fluids such as orange or pineapple juice. In the beginning the gland swelling may be uneven with a few days between the swelling of both sides.

Other salivary glands are effected by mumps as well including those under the tongue and jaw which can lead to a painful feeling down the front of the chest. It can also lead to Encephalitis or Meningitis which is an inflammation and swelling of the brain and the spinal cord.

There are different signs and symptoms in adolescent and adult mumps cases. The ovaries can be affected of women with mumps which can lead to pain and tenderness in the abdomen. Orchitis can develop in men which is a painful inflammation of the testicles. For about seven to ten days with Orchitis one testicle will become swollen after the parotid glands swell and there will be complications such as high fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Especially if the right testicle is affected the abdominal pain is often mistaken for appendicitis. It is rare but there have been reported cases of sterility.

Mumps can cause signs and symptoms that are so mild many don’t know if they are infected with mumps. About one out of every three people will have no symptoms with their mumps infection.

Transmission of Mumps

Direct contact is the method of transmission for mumps. However, the transmission can also be airborne if droplets of infected saliva are ejected during coughing and sneezing from the body. About three days before symptoms and four day after individuals are contagious. Mumps is highly contagious like influenza and rubella, but it isn’t as contagious as measles or chicken pox.

Mumps Diagnosis

Usually a diagnosis of mumps is based on the symptoms. A virus culture or a serologic blood test may be ordered by your doctor to help confirm the disease. Mumps antibodies can be found on a blood test to determine if a person have recently encountered the disease or if they have had a past infection of the disease. Usually laboratory test are not necessary but they are helpful in detecting the disease. Many are not aware that they have the disease since it is estimated that one out of five infected with the disease do not have any symptoms. For those who do have symptoms they often mistake them for the common cold or flue since the swelling of the salivary glands in one or both cheeks resemble the common cold or flu.

If you suspect that you or your child has the mumps then you should contact your doctor for a full diagnosis. This way you can help avoid any future complications that can be associated with the disease and you can avoid spreading the disease further.

Treatment

Mumps Treatment Process

Letting the virus run its course is the proper way to treat mumps. Using antibiotics on the disease is not effective. Paracetamol can be used to treat mumps along with a regular rinsing of the mouth and drinking lots of fluids.

Non-aspirin fever medications such as acteminophen or ibuprofen can be used to reduce the fever and pain that comes with the swollen parotid glands. Unless instructed by a doctor you should not use aspirin with a viral illness since it will lead to a disease known as Reye Syndrome which is serious and deadly and very similar to Encephalitis. Contact your local physician if the fever rises above 101 degrees Fahrenheit and until then make sure you monitor your child’s temperature making a date and time of every recorded reading. To sooth the swollen parotid glands you can use ice/warm packs. In regards to diet you should stay away from tart or acid foods and juices that will cause an increase in the parotid gland pain. You should stick to a soft food diet that doesn’t involve a lot of chewing. For this reason soup is usually recommended along with drinking plenty of water, decaffeinated soft drinks and warm tea. Isolate yourself or your child from the public when you are exposed to mumps so that you can prevent spreading the disease. Your doctor will provide proper notification on when to return to school through regular check ups and until then your child can play quietly. For a follow up, reports relating to local health records on immunization programs and cases of the mumps you should notify your doctor.

Some lesser known symptoms associated with mumps include a swelling of the testicles, a stiff neck, convulsions, extreme drowsiness, severe headache and changes of consciousness. A sign of complication in the pancreas area is found in abdominal pain and male may find an affect on their sexual performance while women may find an affect on their ovaries. You should contact your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms occur.

Mumps is spread mostly through close contact and it is very contagious. Between five and fifteen years of age is the typical age it affects. Warm fomentation should be given to the sides of the face. Warm salt water solution or warm boric acid solution should be given to the child to gargle a few times a day. Give a liquid only diet until the pain of the glands subsides and your child should be kept in bed.

Mumps Prevention

Vaccination is recommended for protection against mumps. The common vaccine given is the measles-mumps-rubella or MMR vaccine since is provides immunization against these three common childhood diseases. These three vaccines can be given together. MMR weakens the virus once injected. The infection becomes harmless once the virus grows and the infected person may only have a few symptoms or in some cases no symptoms. A single dose of the MMR vaccine will give ninety-five percent of people a lifetime immunity from the disease. A second dose of MMR vaccine can be given to those who experience signs and symptoms of the mumps disease so that the infection doesn’t return.

MMR is typically given to children between the age of twelve and fifteen months with a second dosage being give by four to six years of age. A schedule with the indicated time frame for your child’s immunization vaccines will be given to your by your doctor. It is imperative that you maintain follow up appointments and communication with your doctor so that you can be updated on your child’s health.

In order for tourists to visit many countries encourage the vaccine. Limited contact should be used for those that have not been vaccinated until a medical diagnosis can be established. Mumps would diminish like small pox if the vaccination would increase.

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