are mumps painful
Mumps is an infection caused by a type of virus called a paramyxovirus. It is very contagious and spread in saliva, the same way as a cold or flu. This means it can be caught from an infected person coughing, sneezing, etc. It can also be caught from touching infected objects - for example, door handles. Some people infected with the mumps virus have either no signs or symptoms or very mild ones. 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. In about half of patients, symptoms of mumps infection may include fever, headache, sore throat, muscle aches, poor appetite and malaise (a general feeling of sickness). The mumps virus causes pain and swelling in front of the earlobe, called parotitis. While infected with mumps, many people feel tired and achy, have a fever, and swollen salivary glands on the side of the face. Others may feel extremely ill and be unable to eat because of jaw pain, and a few will develop serious complications. Some people infected with the mumps virus have either no signs or symptoms or very mild ones. 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 (parotitis) Fever. What are mumps? Mumps (or the mumps) is the more common name for parotitis (say: pare-oh-TIE-tiss). It is a viral infection that causes your parotid glands to swell. Your parotid glands are located between your ear and jaw. These glands make the saliva (spit) that helps you chew and swallow food. About Mumps. Mumps is a disease caused by a virus that usually spreads through saliva (spit). It can infect many parts of the body, especially the parotid salivary glands. These glands, which make saliva for the mouth, are found toward the back of each cheek, in the area between the ear and jaw. In cases of mumps, these glands typically swell and become painful. Does this mean the vaccine doesn’t work? A: MMR vaccine prevents most, but not all, cases of mumps and complications caused by the disease. People who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine are about nine times less likely to get mumps than unvaccinated people who have the same exposure to mumps virus. The testicles (testes) are sometimes affected. One testicle (testis) may become inflamed, swollen, and painful for about a week. This is uncommon in young children. However, about 1 in 4 males who get mumps over the age of 12 years will develop a painful swollen testis. Occasionally, both testes are affected. Mumps is an infection caused by a virus. It mainly affects the salivary glands but sometimes other parts of the body are affected. Mumps normally affects children, but can occur at any age. Mumps is now rare in the UK as children are routinely immunised against mumps.
Yes, mumps are painful.