Mumps - Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Mumps Definition

Mumps is an acute, inflammatory, contagious disease. It may be caused by a paramyxovirus and characterized by swelling of the salivary glands, especially the parotids, and sometimes of the pancreas, ovaries, or testes. Mumps can also cause inflammation of other tissues, most frequently the covering and substance of the central nervous system, the pancreas and, after adolescence, the ovary and the testis.

The word "mumps" comes from an old English word meaning lumps or bumps in the cheeks. It is most prevalent in children older than age 5 but younger than age 9. Infants under age 1 seldom get this disease because of passive immunity from maternal antibodies. Mumps is also known as infectious or epidemic parotitis.

Mumps Causes

Mumps is spread by direct contact as well as by airborne droplets and saliva. The virus that causes mumps lives in a person's saliva. It is spread by coughing, sneezing, or other direct contact between people. Once a person has had mumps, he or she can never have the disease again. The majority of cases of mumps disappear without complications. Complications are more likely to occur with adults who get the infection. In 15 percent of all cases, the mumps virus spreads to the brain. There, it causes an inflammation of brain tissue known as meningitis. Meningitis is a very serious condition and must be treated very quickly.

Mumps was once considered one of the inevitable infectious diseases of childhood. A child with mumps often looks like a chipmunk with a full mouth due to the swelling of the parotids. Most patients recover from mumps encephalitis without complications. In about 1 percent of all cases, a person dies from mumps encephalitis. Those who survive may develop seizure disorders that can stay with a person throughout his or her life. Mumps is a very contagious (catching) infection. It spreads easily in densely populated areas, such as schools. At one time, mumps was very common in the United States.

Mumps Symptoms

Once a person is exposed to the virus, symptoms occur in fourteen to twenty-four days.

The symptoms of the mumps may be included:

• chills
• headache
• feel pain
• seizures
• high fever
• face pain
• sore throat
• testicle pain
• testicle lump
• loss of appetite
• lack of energy
• scrotal swelling
• swelling of the parotid glands

Mumps Treatments

There is no treatment for mumps. All that can be done is to allow the disease to run its course. However, steps can be taken to make the patient more comfortable.

Treatment is with rest and non-aspirin pain relievers to ease pain in swollen areas.

Some patients find that acupressure can help relieve the pain of swollen glands.

lf the patient can't swallow, I.V. fluid replacement may be necessary.

The standard MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is now given in two dosages. The first should be given at 12-15 months of age. The second vaccination should be given at 4-6 years.