Since there's no practical way for treating measles, it's more beneficial for prevent it, instead of vain attempts to relieve its severity. Certain measures can be taken to prevent measles. Measles infections almost invariably bestow permanent immunity. Effective immunization can be produced by administration of vaccination, especially one that contains the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.

Measles vaccine

The measles vaccine was introduced in the early sixties and has since then effectively reduced the incidence of measles by about 99%. If children are not immunized (vaccinated), they become 80% more prone to measles than those immunized. When in 1989 and 1991 American children skipped vaccination, a measles epidemic struck the U.S., leading to abnormal deaths of children and infants.

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the maximum protection measure your doctor will recommend for preventing measles. There are conditions and criteria to be followed when taking the MMR vaccine. You'll have to help a health specialist in defining your symptoms and history of physician-diagnosed measles or serologic confirmation of measles immunity, if applicable, before you get immunized.

Immunization varies depending on age. Infants, pre-school children, college students, and adults all must take different dozes of MMR vaccine, also depending on their immunity status.

Are there no side effects?

MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine gives lifelong protection against Rubella (measles) but the side effects may be transient arthritis.

Arthritis refers to a group of conditions that affect the health of the bone joints in the body. It is associated with pain in the limb joints. If you feel you have arthritis, see the rheumatologist before the condition become severe. A rheumatologist is a specialist in treating arthritis, rheumatic diseases, and other bone, joint and muscle disorders.