Mumps
Mumps
Mumps spreads quite easily from person to person. Before the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine came into use, it was a common childhood illness.
The good news is that mumps usually settles on its own within 1 to 2 weeks.
Common Symptoms
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
Diagnosis
Your doctor can usually confirm mumps just by examining you. This includes:
- seeing and feeling the swelling
- checking the position of your tonsils inside the mouth
- taking your temperature to check if it is higher than normal
If mumps is suspected, your doctor is required to inform the local health protection team (HPT).
Who is affected
Mumps mostly affects people between 17 and 34 years old who have not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.
Once you have had mumps, your body develops immunity to the virus, so getting it a second time is very unlikely.
How mumps spreads
The mumps virus travels in tiny droplets released from the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
You can catch mumps simply by breathing in these droplets, or by touching a surface where they have settled and then touching your nose or mouth.
A person is most contagious for a few days before symptoms appear and for a few days after.
Treatment
There are things you can do at home to feel better.
Do
- rest in bed as much as possible
- drink plenty of water so you don't get dehydrated
- take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain; don't give aspirin to children under 16
- put a warm or cool compress on the swollen glands to ease the pain
- eat soft foods that don't need much chewing, like soup, mashed potato and scrambled eggs
Prevention
How to prevent spreading mumps to others
If you have mumps:
- stay off school or work for at least 5 days after your symptoms first develop
- regularly wash your hands with soap
- use and dispose of tissues when you sneeze
- avoid close contact with anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated
How mumps can be prevented
Mumps can be prevented by having the MMR vaccine.
This is given in 2 doses as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.
You can be vaccinated at any age if you haven’t been fully vaccinated before.
Complications
Mumps usually goes away on its own without causing any serious harm, and major complications are uncommon.
That said, in some cases the virus can spread to the outer covering of the brain and cause viral meningitis. Other possible complications include swelling of the testicles in men or the ovaries in women, if the person has already gone through puberty.
Around 1 in 20 people with mumps develop acute pancreatitis. This is usually mild, though hospital admission may be needed so the body can be supported while the pancreas recovers.
About 1 in 20 people with mumps also notice some temporary hearing loss, but permanent hearing loss is rare.