There is a ridiculous saying that "blowing a balloon will cause mumps"

Author: Chen Dianjie, Fifth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Reviewer: Zhang Jieli, Deputy Chief Nurse, Fifth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

"If you blow up a balloon too hard, you will get mumps." This saying is like "If you accidentally eat earplugs, you will become mute." It has been passed down from generation to generation and has a magical power of spread.

Mumps is the common name for mumps, and is also the name given to the disease in traditional Chinese medicine.

Mumps is usually caused by a viral infection and has nothing to do with blowing up balloons - unless the balloons are contaminated with pathogens that are dispersed into the air.

Figure 1 (copyright image from the gallery, unauthorized reproduction)

Mumps is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by mumps virus infection, which is common in children and adolescents, and also occurs in adults. The general population is susceptible to the disease. Infants under one year old still have specific antibodies obtained from their mothers and rarely develop the disease. About 80% of adults can produce certain specific antibodies because of latent infection.

The parotid glands are located around the earlobes on both sides of the cheeks, which are closer to the "position for contouring" than the "position for applying blush".

The main symptom of mumps is swelling at the base of one or both earlobes. The swollen parotid gland is often hemispherical, with the earlobe as the center, diffusely swelling forward, downward, and backward, and with obvious tenderness. The pain worsens when chewing or eating acidic foods. In addition to the swelling and pain in the parotid gland, most patients also have fever symptoms, with a body temperature of around 38°C.

Mumps itself is not terrible and can heal itself in about 2 weeks. However, once complications occur, the condition may be very serious. Common complications include pancreatitis, viral encephalitis, orchitis, and mastitis. Some atypical cases may not have parotid swelling, but only show meningitis or orchitis, or submandibular gland and sublingual gland swelling. If symptoms of complications occur, you should seek medical attention in time.

Figure 2 (copyright image from the gallery, unauthorized reproduction)

In the early stage of parotid gland swelling, cold towels can be used for local cold compresses to shrink local blood vessels, thereby reducing the degree of inflammation and congestion. Cold compresses can relieve pain, but have little effect on the treatment of the disease, and hot compresses are absolutely not allowed.

Patients should be given nutritious, easily digestible, low-fat semi-liquid or soft food. The food temperature should not be too high. Eat more cool and detoxifying food, pay attention to balanced nutrition, eat small meals frequently, and drink plenty of water. Remember not to eat sour, spicy, hard, and dry food, because these foods will promote saliva secretion and stimulate the already red and swollen parotid duct opening. The obstruction of saliva discharge will also aggravate the swelling and pain of the gland.

Patients with mumps are contagious from 7 days before the onset of the disease to 2 weeks after the parotid glands swell. Asymptomatic carriers can also spread the virus, but because they have no symptoms, they are easily overlooked and not isolated.

Figure 3 (copyright image from the gallery, no permission to reprint)

The virus is mainly transmitted through droplets, and can also be transmitted indirectly through clothes, toys or public utensils contaminated by saliva.

When pregnant women are infected with this disease, it can be transmitted to the fetus through the placenta, causing fetal malformation or death, and also increasing the incidence of miscarriage.

Mumps virus is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and general disinfectants. It can be inactivated in 2 to 5 minutes by using 1% formaldehyde soap solution (Lysol), 0.2% formaldehyde solution (Formalin), 75% ethanol, etc. The virus will die quickly under ultraviolet rays. Heating to 56°C for 10 to 20 minutes can also inactivate the virus.

At present, the vaccine for preventing mumps in my country is the combined attenuated live measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR): subcutaneous injection, a total of 2 doses, 1 dose each at 8 months and 18 months of age. This vaccine is a national immunization program vaccine.

Mumps surveillance or vaccination is effective, but should not be used for pregnant women, immunocompromised people, and those who are allergic to egg protein.

The incubation period of mumps is 8 to 30 days. If you have been infected but are still in the incubation period, the vaccine is ineffective. This means that if you have been in contact with a mumps patient before vaccination, the mumps vaccine may not be effective at this time.

After vaccination with mumps vaccine, local or systemic reactions may occur. For example, local swelling, pain, fever, headache, nausea, etc. may occur about 24 hours after vaccination, and generally return to normal after 1 to 2 days. Some individuals may cause allergic reactions after vaccination. 6 to 12 days after vaccination, a few children may develop transient rashes, which generally resolve on their own after 1 to 2 days, without special treatment, and symptomatic treatment if necessary.