Joint pain
Most patients experience diffuse muscle pain, but not all of them report joint pain. In rare cases, mumps can trigger arthritis and arthralgia as a result of severe systemic inflammation. Other rare inflammatory manifestations include mastitis (inflammation of the mastoid bone, located behind the ear) and thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland).
Mumps is a very contagious disease, and complications are more common in adults than children. Thus, it is very important to follow the recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which includes mumps vaccines in pediatric patients, in the catch-up schedule, and in the adult immunization schedule.
The prognosis of the disease is usually very good, especially in children. Recovery time usually lasts a few weeks, and the most severe complication is encephalitis. Still, mortality rate in cases of encephalitis do not reach 2%. In cases of pregnancy, mumps can lead to fetal death and spontaneous abortions. No malformations have been reported in cases of pregnant women diagnosed with mumps. Another sequela is sterility, which is more common in men with bilateral orchitis.
Read Also:
- Fibromyalgia Symptoms: 12 Symptoms of Fibromyalgia (Hard to Believe). What are Yours?
- Shoulder Pain: Overview, Causes and Related Diseases, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
- Knee Pain: Causes, Signs, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment, When To See Your Doctor?
- Low Back Pain: All Things You Want to Know About Low Back Pain Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Home Remedies
- Fibromyalgia: What is Fibromyalgia?, Symptoms, Signs, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
- 11 Food Ingredients That Can Cause Inflammation In Your Body To Avoid!
Treatment for mumps usually includes supportive care to control fever and pain. It may also include cold compresses to relieve pain and inflammation in the parotid glands, and your doctor may require additional tests such as ultrasonography to rule out orchitis. Thus, even if you detect mumps by yourself and understand the basics of treatment, it is imperative to visit your doctor to get a full screening and follow-up of the disease.