10 Obnoxious Effects Of Mumps

4. Deafness

A major complication as a result of mumps is loss of hearing. The nerves of the inner ear can be damaged from infection causing deafness. This is a rare occurrence. For every 100,000 people who contract mumps, about 0.5 to five lose their hearing. The problem is typically permanent and can occur in one or both ears. Mumps is said to be a common cause of childhood deafness of one ear and a method of prevention is immunization.

3. Meningoencephalitis

Meningoencephalitis, as the name suggests, is an infection affecting both the brain (encephalitis) and meninges (meningitis). Both present signs of inflammation and the main symptom of meningoencephalitis is swelling of the brain tissue and meninges, which is a protective barrier of the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by a viral infection, and a fairly common cause of mumps, but only in rare cases is it serious enough to cause death or neurological complications.