Mumps is an acute viral disease, otherwise known as common parotitis. Apart from the typical symptom of enlarged parotid glands, there is fever, headaches and weakness. Mumps is treated symptomatically.
Mumps – occurrence and symptoms
We get mumps most often in the preschool and school period – it is an infectious viral disease and spreads quickly in a large group of people (in winter and spring). In some patients, up to 40%, the disease is asymptomatic. Mumps starts suddenly, the temperature is not always elevated, but it can reach 40 ° C. Besides, there is also weakness, general breakdown, nausea, sometimes with vomiting.
A characteristic symptom of mumps is swelling of the parotid glands. Patients also complain of earaches, as well as pain when chewing or opening the mouth. The skin of the lower jaw is taut and warm, but it has its usual color, it is never red. The salivary glands in mumps never become suppurated, which may be the case in other diseases associated with swelling of the salivary glands.
The complications of common parotitis include:
- inflammation of the pancreas with vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, jaundice, and severe abdominal pain and tightness of the abdominal muscles above the navel;
- inflammation of the testicles, usually after the age of 14, with severe pain in the perineum, lumbar region, and severe swelling and redness of the scrotum;
- meningitis and encephalitis with light-headedness, loss of consciousness, coma and meningeal symptoms;
- inflammation of: thymus, conjunctivitis, inflammation of the heart muscle, liver, lungs or inflammation of the kidneys.
Mumps treatment
Treatment of mumps is symptomatic: the patient is given antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as drugs that increase the body’s resistance. Vaccination against mumps is possible, but it is recommended and is not reimbursed.
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