Mumps

Symptoms

The symptoms of mumps usually develop 12 to 25 days after becoming infected with the mumps virus (this delay is known as the incubation period). The average incubation period is around 17 days.

Swelling of the parotid glands is the most common symptom of mumps. The parotid glands are a pair of glands responsible for producing saliva. They're located in either side of your face, just below your ears.

Both glands are usually affected by the swelling, although sometimes only one gland is affected. The swelling can cause pain, tenderness and difficulty with swallowing.

More general symptoms often develop a few days before the parotid glands swell. These can include:

• headache
• joint pain
• feeling sick
• dry mouth
• mild abdominal pain
• feeling tired
• loss of appetite
• a high temperature

In about 1 in 6 cases, mumps doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms.

Causes

Mumps is caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to a family of viruses known as paramyxoviruses. These viruses are a common source of infection, particularly in children.

When you get mumps, the virus moves from your respiratory tract (your nose, mouth and throat) into your parotid glands (saliva-producing glands found either side of your face), where it begins to reproduce. This causes the glands to swell.

The virus can also enter your cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is the fluid that surrounds and protects your brain and spine. Once the virus has entered the CSF, it can spread to other parts of your body, such as your brain, pancreas, testicles (in boys and men) and ovaries (in girls and women).

How mumps is spread

Mumps is an airborne virus and can be spread by:

• an infected person coughing or sneezing and releasing tiny droplets of contaminated saliva, which can then be breathed in by another person
• an infected person touching their nose or mouth, then transferring the virus onto an object, such as a door handle, or work surface; if someone else touches the object shortly afterwards, they can transfer the virus into their respiratory tract
• sharing utensils, such as cups, cutlery or plates with an infected person

People with mumps are usually most infectious from a few days before their parotid glands swell until a few days afterwards. For this reason, it's advisable to avoid work or school for 5 days after your symptoms first develop if you're diagnosed with mumps.

Mumps can also be passed on by people who are infected with the virus but don't have any obvious symptoms.

Treatment Options

Treatment for mumps is focused on relieving symptoms until your body's immune system fights off the infection. There are currently no medicines to treat the mumps virus.

The infection usually passes within a week or two.

In the meantime, the measures below may help.

• get plenty of bed rest until your symptoms have passed
• take over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, to relieve any pain (children aged 16 or under should not be given aspirin)
• drink plenty of fluids, but avoid acidic drinks such as fruit juice as these can irritate your parotid glands; water is usually the best fluid to drink
• apply a warm or cool compress to your swollen glands to help reduce any pain
• eat foods that don't require a lot of chewing, such as soup, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs

If your symptoms don't improve after 7 days, or suddenly worsen, contact your GP for advice.

Prevention Tips

Preventing the spread of infection

If you or your child has mumps, it's important to prevent the infection spreading, particularly to people who do not have immunity from a previous infection and have not been vaccinated.

The best way to do this is to:

• stay away from school, college or work until 5 days after you first developed symptoms
• wash your hands regularly, using soap and water

• always use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, and throw the tissue in a bin immediately afterwards
  

When To See A Doctor

If your symptoms don't improve after 7 days, or suddenly worsen, contact your GP for advice.