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Mumps: symptoms, causes and treatment

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Mumps, or parotitis, is caused by a virus that causes inflammation of the salivary glands. It occurs mainly in children and adolescents, it is a highly contagious disease, and its duration is between 10 and 12 days. Mumps can be prevented by vaccination; however, it is difficult for the disease to reappear once you have mumps. At FastlyHealwe explain the symptoms, causes and treatment of mumps.

Mumps symptoms

In some patients, Mumps may be asymptomatic, but generally, the symptoms of mumps are:

  • Inflammation of the salivary glands between the ear and the jaw.
  • Fever over 39ºC.
  • General discomfort.
  • Headache.
  • Loss of appetite
  • Throat pain.
  • Difficulty speaking and chewing.
  • Earache.

Other symptoms are:

  • In case mumps occur in male adults or adolescents, there may be an inflammation of the testicles.
  • Shaking chills.
  • Sickness.

You have to be careful because mumps can affect the central nervous system and the pancreas, so you must keep the fever under control to avoid complications such as meningitis or encephalitis.

Causes of mumps

Mumps is spread by a virus from the Paramyxoviridae family, which is transmitted from one person to another through droplets of moisture produced when talking, sneezing, coughing, or handling objects that contain the person’s saliva. Infected. Although the patient has no symptoms, the disease is equally contagious. On the other hand, the incubation period of the virus is between 12 and 24 days.

Treatment for Mumps

There is no specific treatment for this disease; it is about alleviating the symptoms through anti-inflammatories and applications of cold compresses to relieve pain and swelling. It is important to note that in the case of testicular pain, you can apply a local anesthetic; if the doctor authorizes it, the use of steroids should be avoided as they can lead to testicular atrophy.

Using medications such as paracetamol and aspirin is contraindicated for these cases. As we have explained previously, the best way to prevent mumps is to get the MMR vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age and between 4 and 6 years.

When to contact the doctor?

Few people develop complications from having mumps; however, to avoid severe consequences for the health of the child, you should call the pediatrician immediately if you observe the following symptoms:

  • Fever that does not drop below 39 ºC.
  • Redness of the eyes.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Neck stiffness.
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting
  • Intense headache.
  • Testicular pain
  • Drowsiness.

Home remedies for mumps

As there is no specific treatment for mumps, natural remedies can be a good option in these cases; in the same way, consult your doctor. Some home remedies for mumps are:

  • Warm water and salt: it is the ideal home remedy to treat a sore throat. Salt is a natural antiseptic that will reduce inflammation and eliminate bacteria. Add one teaspoon of salt to a glass of water and gargle three times a day.
  • Infusion of sage and thyme: sage has bactericidal properties, and thyme works as an antiseptic; the mixture of both is an effective remedy to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Prepare an infusion with both plants and you can use it in various ways, drink it, gargle or apply it as a poultice in the painful area.
  • Rosemary poultice: rosemary works as a muscle relaxant because it will allow you to reduce pain. Boil water, add a handful of rosemary, and apply it to the affected area.

Other recommendations:

  • Eat a bland diet.
  • Apply hot or cold compresses to the neck area.
  • Drink lots of fluids.
  • Avoid consuming citrus fruits.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Mumps: symptoms, causes and treatment , we recommend that you enter our Ear, Nose and Throat category .

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