Symptoms

Up to 1 in 5 people infected with the mumps virus has no signs or symptoms. When signs and symptoms do develop, they usually appear about two to three weeks after exposure to the virus and may include:

• Swollen, painful salivary glands on one or both sides of your face
• Pain with chewing or swallowing
• Fever
• Weakness and fatigue

The primary — and best known — sign of mumps is swollen salivary glands that cause the cheeks to puff out. In fact, the term "mumps" is an old expression for lumps or bumps within the cheeks.

When to see a doctor 
If you suspect that you or your child has mumps, see your doctor. Mumps has become an uncommon illness, so it's possible that the signs and symptoms are caused by another condition. Swollen glands and a fever could be an indication of inflamed tonsils (tonsillitis) or a blocked salivary gland.

Other, rarer viruses can infect the parotid glands, causing a mumps-like illness.

Causes

The cause of mumps is the mumps virus, which spreads easily from person to person through infected saliva. If you're not immune, you can contract mumps by breathing in saliva droplets of an infected person who has just sneezed or coughed. You can also contract mumps from sharing utensils or cups with someone who has mumps. Mumps is about as contagious as the flu (influenza).

Complications

Complications of mumps are potentially serious, but rare. These include:

• Orchitis. This inflammatory condition causes swelling of one or both testicles. Orchitis is painful, but it rarely leads to sterility — the inability to father a child.
• Pancreatitis. This is swelling of the pancreas. Signs and symptoms of pancreatitis include pain in the upper abdomen, nausea and vomiting.
• Encephalitis. A viral infection, such as mumps, can lead to inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Encephalitis can lead to neurological problems and become life-threatening. Although it's serious, encephalitis is a rare complication of mumps.
• Meningitis. Meningitis is infection and inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can occur if the mumps virus spreads through your bloodstream to infect your central nervous system. Like encephalitis, meningitis is a rare complication of mumps.
• Inflammation of the ovaries. Pain in the lower abdomen in females may be a symptom of this problem. Fertility is rarely affected.
• Hearing loss. In rare cases, mumps can cause hearing loss, usually permanent, in one or both ears.
• Miscarriage. Contracting mumps while you're pregnant, especially early on, can lead to miscarriage.

Preparing for your appointment

Call your family doctor if you or your child has signs and symptoms common to mumps. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

Information to gather in advance

• Pre-appointment restrictions. Ask if there are any restrictions you or your child should follow in the time leading up to the appointment, such as staying isolated from others so as not to spread infection.
• Symptom history. Write down any symptoms you or your child has had, and for how long.
• Recent exposure to possible sources of infection. Try to remember if you or your child has been exposed to someone with mumps signs and symptoms in the last few weeks.
• Key medical information. Include any other health problems and the names of any medications you or your child is taking.
• Questions to ask your doctor. Write down your questions in advance so that you can make the most of your time with your doctor.

The list below suggests questions to raise with your doctor about mumps.

• What is the most likely cause of these signs and symptoms?
• Are there any other possible causes?
• What treatment approach do you recommend?
• How soon do you expect symptoms to improve?
• Are there any home remedies or self-care steps that could help relieve symptoms?
• Am I or my child contagious? For how long?
• What steps should be taken to reduce the risk of infecting others?

Don't hesitate to ask more questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.

What to expect from your doctor 
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in-depth. Your doctor may ask:

• What signs and symptoms have you noticed?
• When did you first notice these signs and symptoms?
• Have these signs and symptoms gotten worse over time?
• Do symptoms include abdominal pain or, in boys and men, testicular pain?
• Has anyone else you know had signs and symptoms common to mumps within the last few weeks?
• Are you and your child current with recommended vaccinations for your age group?
• Are you or your child currently being treated or have you recently been treated for any other medical conditions?
• What medications are you or your child currently taking, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as vitamins and supplements?
• Is your child in school or child care?
• Are you pregnant or breast-feeding?

What you can do in the meantime 
While you wait for your appointment, you may be able to ease symptoms with cold compresses and over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Don't give aspirin to your child without first consulting your child's doctor.

Rest as much as possible, and avoid contact with others until you've seen the doctor. Mumps is highly contagious within about the first week after symptoms first appear.

Tests and diagnosis

If your doctor suspects that you or your child has mumps, a virus culture or a blood test may be needed. The blood test can detect mumps antibodies, which indicate whether this is a recent or past infection.

Treatment and drugs

Because mumps is caused by a virus, antibiotics aren't effective. Like most viral illnesses, a mumps infection must simply run its course. Fortunately, most children and adults recover from an uncomplicated case of mumps within about two weeks.

As a general rule, you're no longer considered contagious and may safely return to work or school one week after a diagnosis of mumps.

Prevention

In general, you're considered immune to mumps if you've previously had the infection or if you've been immunized against mumps.

The mumps vaccine is usually given as a combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) inoculation, which contains the safest and most effective form of each vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are recommended before a child enters school:

• The first between ages 12 and 15 months
• The second between ages 4 and 6 years, or between 11 and 12 if not previously given

In response to a mumps outbreak in the Midwest, college students and health care workers in particular are encouraged to make sure they've had two doses of the MMR vaccine. A single dose doesn't appear to offer sufficient protection during an outbreak. Since the recommendation for a second dose didn't begin until the late 1980s or early 1990s, many young adults may not have received their second dose and should have one now.

Do you need the MMR vaccine? 
You don't need a vaccine if you:

• Had two doses of the MMR vaccine after 12 months of age or one dose of the MMR vaccine plus a second dose of measles vaccine
• Had one dose of MMR and you're not at high risk of measles or mumps exposure
• Have blood tests that demonstrate you're immune to measles, mumps and rubella
• Are a man who was born before 1957
• Are a woman who was born before 1957 and you don't plan to have any more children, you already had the rubella vaccine or you have a positive rubella test

You should get a vaccine if you don't fit the criteria listed above and you:

• Are a nonpregnant woman of childbearing age
• Attend college, trade school or postsecondary school
• Work in a hospital, medical facility, child care center or school
• Plan to travel overseas or take a cruise

The vaccine isn't recommended for:

• Pregnant women or women who plan to get pregnant within the next four weeks
• People who have had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin
• People with severely compromised immune systems, unless the benefits of the vaccine exceed the risks

If you have cancer, a blood disorder or another disease that affects your immune system, talk to your doctor before getting an MMR vaccine.

Side effects of the vaccine 
You can't get mumps from the MMR vaccine, and most people experience no side effects from the vaccine. A few may experience a mild fever or rash, and some people (mostly adults) have achy joints afterward for a short time. Less than one out of a million doses causes a serious allergic reaction.

Although concerns have been raised about a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism, extensive reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Institute of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conclude that there's no scientifically proven link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

In addition, there's no scientific benefit in separating these vaccines. These organizations note that autism (autism spectrum disorder) is often identified in toddlers between the ages of 18 and 30 months, which happens to be about the time children are given their first MMR vaccine. But this coincidence in timing shouldn't be mistaken for a cause-and-effect relationship.

Lifestyle and home remedies

If you or your child has mumps, time and rest are the best treatments. There's little your doctor can do to speed recovery. But you can take some steps to ease pain and discomfort and keep others from becoming infected:

• Rest in bed until the fever goes away.
• Isolate yourself or your child to prevent spreading the disease to others. Someone with mumps is most contagious within the first five days after the onset of signs and symptoms.
• Take acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) to ease symptoms. Adults may also use aspirin. Don't give aspirin to children because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.
• Use a cold compress to ease the pain of swollen glands.
• Wear an athletic supporter to ease the pain of tender testicles.
• Avoid foods that require lots of chewing. Instead, try broth-based soups or soft foods, such as mashed potatoes or cooked oatmeal, for nourishment.
• Avoid sour foods, such as citrus fruits or juices, which stimulate saliva production.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Plan low-key activities.

If your child has mumps, the most important thing you can do is to watch for complications. Call your doctor if your child develops:

• Fever of 103 F (39 C) or greater
• Trouble eating or drinking
• Confusion or disorientation
• Abdominal pain
• In boys, pain and swelling of the testicles