Parotitis physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S. Kiran Singh, M.D. [2]

The presence of swollen parotid glands, unilaterally or bilaterally, is diagnostic of parotitis. Patients may also present erythema in the neck or side of the face, radiating from the swollen parotid gland. Parotitis patients are usually ill-appearing if the cause is infectious due to other symptoms of the cause, such as low-grade fever or malaise. Patients with recurrent parotitis that is not from an infection may appear well if there is no fever present.

• Patients with infectious causes of parotitis are usually ill-appearing.^{_For_Healthcare_Providers_|_CDC-1|[1]}
  • Patients with parotitis from mumps or bacterial infections usually appear ill from low-grade fever, headache, or malaise.
• Recurrent, non-infectious parotitis patients are usually well-appearing but can appear ill if fever is present.^[2]

• Low-grade fever may be present in parotitis patients.^{_For_Healthcare_Providers_|_CDC-1|[1]}

• Parotitis patients may present erythema in the neck or side of the face, near the parotid glands.^{_For_Healthcare_Providers_|_CDC-1|[1]}
• Parotid glands will appear visibly swollen, seen in front of the ears.
  • Swelling is usually unilateral but can manifest bilaterally as well.^[3]

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