Suggest Treatment For Swollen Parotid Gland And Headaches

Posted on Tue, 19 May 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 19 May 2015 Answered on

Mon, 8 Jun 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I'm being treated as possible mumps case until lab results come back. Swollen parotid gland with fever starting 4 days ago. I've developed a severe headache and neck pain today and the headache has gotten way worse. I have had the bacterial meningitis vaccination. Don't know if I should be concerned with the severe headache. Started a new antibiotic yesterday that was prescribed just incase it wasn't mumps, so don't know of the head ache is from the new meds. Don't know if I should go to the ER but terrified of getting a lumbar punture.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Prasad J (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
If the headache is severe, visit the ER...

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Mumps is caused by a virus which has potential to affect brain and meninges. I would consider this as a priority:
1. If the headache doesn't respond well to local pain treatment.
2. Headache is persistent
3. If you have history of nausea, vomiting and light sensitivity.

However given the fact the headache is presently debilitating, I will encourage you to visit the ER. The first and foremost management will be to control headache. Therefore at the ER you will first receive better pain medications to control pain. You will also receive blood tests and may be a CT / MRI scan. Lumbar puncture may not be the first line of evaluation after all. Therefore do not hold yourself from going to the ER just because you are terrified of getting a lumbar puncture.

Meningococcal vaccine and the commonly prescribed antibiotic doesn't cause such debilitation headaches. The headache can be an associated symptoms of infection. Therefore trying local pain reducing measures will be the first option.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need clarifications.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar