Symptoms, causes and treatment of mumps

Mumps is a disease that causes the parotid glands (salivary glands) to swell due to viral infections. This gland is located just below the ears beside the face. Therefore, people who experience mumps, the side of his face will look bigger.

Mumps disease is a contagious disease and is commonly afflicted by children. This disease is caused by one of the virus from the family of paramyxovirus which spread similar to flu virus, for example if we also take in the air contaminated with mump virus when near the sufferers of sneezing or coughing.

The spread of mumps virus can also occur indirectly or through intermediate media, for example we use glasses or towels that are also used by people with mumps. Another example is when people with mumps touch their mouth or nose, then their hands that have been contaminated with the virus holding the door handle, then we also have a chance of contracting if you hold the handle of the door.

The mumps virus will enter the respiratory tract and then to the parotid gland to multiply and incubate for fourteen to twenty-five days.

Symptoms of mumps

Once the mump virus incubates, the symptoms will appear. In addition to swelling of the parotid gland that causes the patient's facial side to appear enlarged, mumps can also cause other symptoms, such as:

• Joint pain
• High fever
• Dry mouth
• Abdominal pain
• Missing appetite
• Tired
• Headache

The symptoms are often felt before the swelling of the parotid gland occurs and when it happens swelling, usually the patient will have difficulty swallowing and feel the pain on the side of the face.

Diagnosis of mumps

Although mumps are not a serious disease, it is advisable to see a doctor if you or your child has symptoms. Doctors need to make sure that you are sick of mumps because there are some other more serious diseases (eg tonsillitis and glandular fever) whose symptoms are similar to mumps.
Diagnosis is usually obtained by a doctor after checking the patient's body temperature, see and touch the swelling on the side of the face, and after doing a mouth exam to see tonsillectomy.

Mumps treatment

Until now there is no drug that can overcome mumps. Recovery comes after our own immune system manages to fight infection. While the immune system performs recovery, we also need to take care steps to relieve symptoms.
Compress parts that are swollen and sore with warm water. In addition, it is recommended to get enough rest and drink plenty of water. Do not consume drinks that can irritate the parotid gland, such as fruit juice, and consumption of soft foods to avoid the pain of chewing.

Take painkillers (eg paracetamol or ibuprofen) that have been prescribed by your doctor at the recommended dosage. Mumps usually recover within 1-2 weeks. If after that period the symptoms of mumps do not show signs of improving or even suddenly worsening, see your doctor again.

Complications of mumps

In addition to infecting the parotid gland, the mumps can also contaminate the fluid that protects the spine and brain (cerebrospinal fluid), and may subsequently spread to other parts of the body, such as attacking the pancreas, brain, ovaries, or testes.
If the spread to these parts has occurred, it can lead to complications, among others:

• Testicular swelling. Testicular swelling usually begins on days four to eight days after parotid gland swelling in patients who have reached puberty. If you experience this condition, compress your testicles with warm water or take painkillers. Ibuprofen or paracetamol can be consumed to relieve pain. Also, use comfortable underwear. Once cured, testicular swelling very rarely causes a decrease in sperm volume, testicular shrinkage, or even sterility.
• Swelling of the ovaries. Just as testicular swelling, ovarian swelling cases are also only potentially occurring in women who suffer from mumps after puberty. This condition is not classified as serious and will heal by itself after the immune system successfully overcome mumps. Symptoms that usually appear are nausea, fever, and pain in the lower abdomen.
• Acute pancreatitis. In the case of acute pancreatitis associated with mumps, the symptoms are usually mild. In addition to pain in the middle of the stomach that feels suddenly, people with this complication also has the potential to experience diarrhea, fever, nausea, and loss of appetite. Although relatively mild, doctors can encourage patients to be hospitalized until the condition of the pancreas organ recovered.
• Viral meningitis. Meningitis in this type is different from the lethal meningitis caused by bacteria. This type of meningitis only causes mild symptoms, such as flu and can usually heal within two weeks. In addition to flu-like symptoms, other symptoms are headache, neck feels stiff, and increased eye sensitivity to light.

Mumps prevention

Mumps disease can be prevented as early as possible by giving MMR immunization to your child. Vaccine is administered when the child is 12-18 months old and must be repeated once again when he is 6 years old.

Meanwhile, if we are not getting the vaccine as a child, then we can take preventive steps by always keeping the hand hygiene, not sharing toiletries or eating with others, and wear a mask.

If you or your child already diagnosed with mumps, then do not move outside the house temporarily until healed. The disease is easily transmitted to others, especially a few days before the parotid glands swell for several days afterwards.

If the patient is about to sneeze or cough, should use a tissue to cover the mouth and nose, then dispose of the tissue, then wash the hands thoroughly. By hand washing, then the virus will not stick to other media potentially untouched by others who are still healthy.