Mumps is an acute viral infection that is characterized by swelling of the parotid glands those are located just below and front of the ear and at times, the salivary glands located under the lower jaw.
Once upon a time, mumps was considered as one of the most inevitable infectious disease of childhood. Since mumps vaccine was introduced in 1967, the incidence of mumps has declined worldwide especially in US, but there are still plenty of underimmunized children in different parts of the world.
Anyone can get it. It has neither age bar nor a gender bar. Who is not immunized from either previous mumps infection or from vaccination can suffer from mumps. Before the health organizations declared routine vaccination program, mumps was very common illness in infants, children and young adults. Of those people who get mumps, up to 50% have very mild or no symptoms, and hence, do not know they were infected with mumps.
It is a viral infection and mostly the virus is Paramyxovirus. It is mainly transmitted mainly by infected saliva. The saliva is infected for about six days prior to the onset of the swelling of the cheeks (salivary glands) those are known as parotid gland. An individual may be infected for up to two weeks after the onset of swelling of the glands but the severity or a peak period of infection is from a day or two before the onset of the swelling until very short after the swelling begins.
One of the most common symptoms is fever. It could be mild to severe. Other symptoms include headache, muscle aches and lethargy. The child becomes irritable and also loses appetite. This whole scenario is then followed by onset of parotitis i.e. swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears-on one or both sides.
Severe complications are rare in mumps. However, mumps can cause some complications. It can cause aseptic meningitis (an infection of the membrane that covers brain and spinal cord) in about 10% of cases. In 20%-30% of cases, it can cause swollen testicles in males who have reached puberty. This condition is also known as orchitis. It rarely creates problem in fertility. In women, however rare, it causes swollen breasts, a condition that is also known as mastitis. Rarest rare in woman is inflammation of ovaries ass a complication of mumps. Mumps can also affect the hearing in human beings. There are few cases reported as spontaneous abortion particularly in early pregnancy i.e. miscarriage as severe and danger complication of mumps.
It is contagious disease and spreads by droplet infections. The microorganisms are present in saliva and therefore, sneezing, yawning, spitting and also in all mucus in nose and throat. If a child puts any toy in its mouth then, that toy also becomes a carrier. It can also spread via fomite transmission; a vehicle could be towel, clothes, utensils, coins etc. Mumps virus has been isolated from respiratory track before three days and after 8-9 days of the infection.
Prevention is always better than the cure and therefore, one has to prevent the occurrence of mumps so that further complications are also avoided. The best way to prevent this disease is to get immunized. Mumps vaccine (generally in the form of MMR – measles, mumps and rubella) is the best way to prevent this hazardous condition.
Two doses of mumps containing vaccine can be given as combination of measles, mumps and rubella, separated by minimum 28 days, which are routinely recommended for all children. The first dose can be given on or after the first birthday and another one at the age of four to six years. It is also advisable for adults who work in healthcare, school/universities etc. to go either for one or two doses of vaccination against mumps. The precaution is to be taken as pregnant woman and a person with less immunity should not receive this live attenuated vaccines.
You should also take care about your home so that fomite infection is prevented. Wash your rooms’ floor, doors, windows and entire furniture range. Wash toys of a baby and you should was the clothes by using disinfectant.
Ayurveda labels this condition as ‘karnamoola shotha’ where ‘karnamoola’ means the root or the base of the ears and ‘shotha’ means the swelling. This is caused mainly due to imbalance in bodily humors i.e. Vata Dosha, Pitta Dosha and Kapha Dosha. The ‘shoth’ in this condition indicates the involvement of Kapha Dosha and if the fever is associated, it indicates the involvement of Pitta Dosha.
There are certain pastes that can be applied onto the affected area. The paste is made out of many herbs having quality to reduce the swelling and removing the toxins from the localized area. Some of the Ayurvedic formula like ‘dashangalepa’ can also be applied but it is to be oversight by an Ayurvedic physician.
Some of the Ayurvedic physicians suggest chewing of basil leaves will help reducing the severity of the mumps. Holy basil’s leaves contain an enzyme that will mix with saliva and so the salivary gland. Holy basil is well-known for its property to remove toxin from the body.
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