Community Health: Treatment, Diagnosis and Prevention



What is Mumps?


Mumps

Mumps is a contagious and infectious viral disease causing swelling of the parotid salivary glands in the face, and a risk of sterility in adult males.
Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus that passes from one person to another through saliva, nasal secretions, and close personal contact.
The condition primarily affects the salivary glands (especially the parotid gland). Mumps normally affects children, but can occur at any age. It is very contagious and spread in saliva, the same way as a cold or flu.
Causes Mumps

Mumps can be transmitted via respiratory secretions (e.g. saliva) from a person already affected with the condition. When contracting mumps, the virus travels from the respiratory tract to the salivary glands and reproduces, causing the glands to swell.

How mumps can be spread include:
 The mumps virus is part of the paramyxovirus family, which is a widespread cause of infection, especially in children.
The virus can travel in the air through coughs and sneezes, it may be on surfaces people touch, such as door handles or it can be picked-up from cups, cutlery, bowls or plates.

Symptoms/Signs of Mumps
The primary and most popular sign of mumps is swollen salivary glands that cause the cheeks to puff out. Mumps is a lumps or bumps within the cheeks.
 
How to diagnose Mumps
If you have swollen and painful salivary glands on one or both sides of your face your doctor could suspects mumps, so he can ask you to culture or do a blood test.
Your immune system is stands as antibodies to help you fight an infection, so if you have mumps, your doctor would ask you to do a blood test that would detect if your antibodies are fighting the mumps virus or not.

How to Prevent Mumps
  1. Get vaccinated
  2. Practice proper hand hygiene
  3. And if you do have symptoms, try to avoid contact with other people
Wash your hands, stay home when you're sick, cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze…

Treatment for Mumps
There is no treatment for mumps itself, because it is more or less like a sign that there is a virus that is attacking the body but age-appropriate painkillers.
Take over-the-counter painkiller: such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may help relieve some of the symptoms. Treatment for mumps is focused on relieving symptoms until your body’s immune system fights off the infection.
Apply a warm or cool compress to your swollen glands to help reduce any pain: A cold or warm compress such as a moist flannel may help relieve some of the pain from the swollen glands.
Mumps

Get plenty of bed rest: Make sure you take time to rest very well.
Drink plenty of fluids: Drink a lot of fluid most especially water so as to avoid dehydration.
Eat foods that don't require a lot of chewing: Avoid hard food and eat more of soft food that you would not need to chew.
Always seek medical advice if you suspect mumps, so that you can be diagnosed.

Mumps Home Remedies/Home Cure
Patient with mumps needs to take precaution he should take plenty of rest until the fever subsidies.
Talking less will provide rest to the jaw and reduce pain.
Eat soft texture food. But whatever you eat, it should be high in nutrient; otherwise it can delay the process of healing.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is another very effective home remedy for mumps. The antibiotic, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of aloe vera do wonders to reduce inflammation and pain.
Asparagus
Asparagus contains many essential minerals and nutrients that can help your body fight the virus that causes mumps. For the treatment of mumps, use the seeds of the asparagus.
Ginger
Ginger is an excellent home remedy for mumps due to its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. It will help get rid of the virus that causes this infectious disease, while also relieving the pain and swelling.
Also, include ginger in your meals to speed up the healing process.

Complications of Mumps
Severe complications are rare. However, mumps can cause:
There is also some suspicion that mumps may lead to spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), particularly in early pregnancy.