Did you step on a rusty nail? Tetanus shot. Take a nasty fall and gash your knee open on a rock? Tetanus shot. Or were you bit by a strange dog? Tetanus shot. The bacteria responsible for tetanus, Clostridium tetani, is everywhere. It’s in dirt, dust, and manure. It can also develop in burns, animal bites, and non-sterile drug injections. Due to how common this bacteria is, it is very important to make sure your tetanus vaccination is up to date.
Why is tetanus so serious?
Tetanus, or lockjaw, is fatal in up to 30% of cases. That’s almost 1 in 3 people. The infection is caused by a toxin that is produced by the offending bacteria. This toxin causes severe muscle spasms that can be localized to one area, or spread throughout the body. These muscle spasms can occur in the extremities, abdomen, neck, and face. The most common symptom is muscle spasms of the jaw, hence the name lockjaw, because the patient cannot open their mouth.
Symptoms of tetanus can occur within days, or take weeks to develop. The average incubation time of tetanus is eight days, giving you plenty of time after an injury to get to a doctor for a booster before the infection kicks into full gear.
How often do I need a tetanus shot?
Developed in the 1920s, and becoming used routinely after WWII, Tetanus shots have been around for a long time. As long as you weren’t on a delayed vaccination schedule, you would have received your tetanus shots at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age. Another tetanus shot is administered between 4 and 6 years of age. One last scheduled tetanus shot is recommended at 11 or 12 years old.
After that, it is recommended that you get a tetanus booster every ten years. The effectiveness of the tetanus protective antibodies can wane after five years. That’s why if you sustain a deep wound, and it’s been more than five years since your last shot, doctors recommend a booster shot, just to be on the safe side.
Side effects of tetanus shots:
It is very rare to experience any serious reactions to a tetanus shot. They are typically accompanied by very mild reactions, including:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Redness
- Pain at injection site
If you haven’t had one in ten years, or you’ve suffered a deep wound that could be contaminated, we strongly recommend you get a booster to bring you up to date. Come to the urgent care and we can get you squared away!