Mumps Madness!!!

I thought I would give you a few interesting facts about mumps as its is the reason why I am bored and bed ridden. Mumps is a disease caused by a virus that usually spreads through saliva and can infect many parts of the body, especially the parotid salivary glands. These glands, which produce 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.

Mumps was common until the mumps vaccine was licensed in 1967. It seems that my dear friend decided to plague Rhodes and become common once again in our small town. After a case of mumps it is very unusual to have a second bout because one attack of mumps almost always gives lifelong protection against another.

What to look for…

Mumps usually starts with a fever of around 39.4° Celsius, as well as a headache and loss of appetite. The well known sign of mumps is the swollen parotid glands that kinda make you look like a hamster. The glands usually carry on swelling and become more painful over a period of 1 to 3 days. The pain gets worse when you try do anything, and i mean anything! For once in my life the common room and all the juicy gossip does not seem so attractive as I cannot add my two cents because it hurts to talk. There are other more serious side affects to mumps but by telling you them it would seriously darken an already gloomy situation.

How to avoid getting it!

Mumps is contagious and spreads in tiny drops of fluid from the mouth and nose of someone who is infected. So basically no more fun as it is spread through kissing, laughing, coughing or sneezing. But wait there’s more…The virus can also spread to other people through direct contact, such as picking up tissues or using drinking glasses that have been used by the infected person. Yay me! I did one of those terrible acts that have lead me to be confined within the four small walls of my bedroom.

People like myself are most contagious from 2 days before my symptoms began to 6 days after they eventually end.

The good news.

People with mumps do not need to stay in bed until the mumps virus has cleared!! Just ask the good old doc how long you need to stay in bed and then is back to normality!!! Therefore I should be back in the game on Thursday! keep in mind a few of these facts mumps is terrible and is not something you want to get!