When people hear the word mumps it is easy to confuse it with bumps, but they are not the same thing. When in fact they are very different things. Mumps is a highly contagious infection that needs to be taken seriously. While bumps could be a result of just about anything
What is Mumps?
Mumps is a viral infection that causes people to look like chipmunks with swollen glands in the neck
and below the ears.
The symptoms are:
- Puffy cheeks and enlarged glands in the neck and below the ears.
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Jaw pain and body aches.
- More serious cases of mumps can cause meningitis, encephalitis, or inflammation of the ovaries, pancreas, heart or testicles.
Symptoms generally appear 2-3 weeks after infection and can last for up to ten days.
Who should get the vaccine?
- Children between 12 and 15 months of age with a second dose between 4 and 6 years of age.
- Adults born after 1957 who have not had mumps or the MMR vaccine should be vaccinated
- During an outbreak, everyone eligible may be advised to get a booster
Why is the mumps vaccine combined with the measles and rubella vaccines?
The vaccine was combined to reduce the number of shots necessary to protect against all three diseases.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe. Although uncommon, some side effects of the vaccine include fever, rash, tenderness at the injection site, or joint pain. The MMR vaccine does not cause autism.
Contact Trinity Health Systems Physicians if you are in need of a vaccine.