Mumps Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Mumps is a contagious viral infection that causes swelling of the salivary glands. Swelling can occur on one side or both sides at once and is accompanied by pain.
Most of these diseases attack children aged 2-15 years. It is very rare to find cases of mumps in children younger than 2 years. Mumps can also affect adults, and the symptoms will be more severe.
Symptoms
The symptom of mumps is pain in one or both salivary glands. This disease will cause the gland to become swollen and make the sufferer experience a mild fever and not feeling well. In addition, the patient’s appetite will also decrease so that they feel weak.
Peak swelling lasts for 1-3 days and ends on 3-7 days. Other symptoms that may be found are swelling or lumps that appear on the male testicles.
In most cases, all children with mumps recover completely after a week. However, sometimes the symptoms get worse after about 2 weeks. This can result in complications. Complications can occur in organs other than the salivary glands, especially if the infection occurs after puberty. Here are some complications that can happen to people with mumps:
- Inflammation of one or both testicles. After healing, the affected testicle may shrink. It is rare that permanent testicular damage results in male infertility.
- Inflammation of one or both ovaries. Mild abdominal pain occurs and rarely causes infertility in women.
- Inflammation of the brain or lining of the brain. This is the worst complication whose symptoms include headaches, neck stiffness, drowsiness, seizures, and even coma. About 5-10% of sufferers experience inflammation of the brain and most will recover completely.
- Pancreatic inflammation. These complications generally occur at the end of the first week. Sufferers feel nausea and vomiting accompanied by abdominal pain. These symptoms will disappear within 1 week and the patient will recover completely.
- Kidney inflammation. This complication can cause sufferers to excrete large amounts of thick urine.
- Joint inflammation. This complication causes pain in one or several joints.
Reason
Mumps is caused by a paramyxovirus. This virus is transmitted through splashes of saliva that come from sneezing or coughing of people with mumps. Transmission of this disease can also occur when in direct contact with objects contaminated by the patient’s saliva. While contagious, when compared to measles or chicken pox, mumps is less contagious.
Because mumps is a contagious disease, it’s a good idea to keep infected people at home. Doctors agree that the incubation period is 14-24 days.
Diagnosis
The doctor will perform a physical examination followed by laboratory tests to diagnose mumps. An examination is focused on areas that experience swelling and redness. Usually, the area that is experiencing swelling will feel harder than the condition of the surrounding skin.
In addition, the doctor will take a saliva sample to find out the mumps virus. Saliva produced by sufferers of mumps can indicate the cause of infection. Usually, normal saliva looks clearer than parotitis saliva which is affected by a mumps bacterial infection.
Treatment
People with mumps should take rest to reduce fever and reduce swollen glands. Because this disease makes it difficult for sufferers to swallow, you should consume soft foods such as porridge. Also, avoid acidic drinks because they can cause pain.
To reduce pain due to swelling, sufferers can compress the cheek or neck area where the swelling occurs. Pain relievers (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) can be used to treat headaches that also occur. Do not give aspirin as a pain reliever to children with mumps, because it can cause Reye’s syndrome.
If there is swelling of the testicles, the patient should undergo bed rest. Then, if nausea and vomiting occur due to pancreatitis, fluids can be given intravenously.
Prevention
Prevention of mumps can be done by using a vaccine. The vaccine used is the mumps or parotitis vaccine. This vaccine is usually combined with the measles and rubella vaccine.
Doctors recommend that this vaccine be given early on to children. The first vaccine is given when the child is 12-15 months old. Then, the second vaccine is given between the ages of 4-6 years, or at the age of 11-12 years if the previous vaccine was not given.
Apart from giving vaccines, you can also prevent mumps by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Such as reducing the consumption of foods high in salt and sugar, staying away from fried foods and coconut milk, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest.