Tetanus: Symptoms and Treatment

Tetanus is a potentially deadly bacterial infection that attacks your nervous system and results in painful muscle contractions in your neck and jaw. Because of this, the infection may cause breathing difficulties and is often referred to as “lockjaw.”

Fortunately, the incidence of the illness has decreased over the years with the development of the tetanus vaccine. However, even with the anti-tetanus shot, there is still no cure for the infection. Instead, treatment focuses on alleviating symptoms and preventing complications.

Risk Factors for Tetanus

There are certain factors that may indicate if you’re at risk of developing the infection, including the following:

• Failing to receive the tetanus vaccine
• Having open wounds that tetanus spores may enter
• Having a splinter or other foreign matter stuck in your skin

Causes of Tetanus

Tetanus occurs and spreads via the spores from the tetanus bacteria, Clostridium tetani. The bacteria are often found in dust, soil, and even animal feces. When these dangerous spores enter open wounds, bacteria may grow and produce toxins known as tetanospasmin. These toxins may impair your nerve control and cause muscle spasms and muscle stiffness.

Symptoms of Tetanus

If you have tetanus, you may experience symptoms for days or weeks after the bacteria infect your body. Some of the most common symptoms include the following:

• Muscle stiffness and spasms
• Difficulty swallowing
• Abdominal pain and stiffness
• Fever
• Sweating
• High blood pressure
• Rapid heart rate

Diagnosis of Tetanus

If you think you may have tetanus, contact your doctor for a checkup. During your visit, your doctor may perform a physical exam and go through your immunization and medical history, along with any symptoms you may have.

Treatment of Tetanus

If you get a tetanus diagnosis, your doctor will recommend treatment options to help alleviate symptoms and prevent complications. Treatment plans may include the use of medications, wound care, and supportive care. Additionally, your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to help fight the tetanus bacteria, and you may also receive the tetanus vaccine as soon as after the diagnosis. If you’re experiencing severe muscle spasms, your doctor may also recommend sedatives and other drugs.

Prognosis of Tetanus

If you have tetanus, your prognosis depends on the severity of your condition. However, young children and the elderly are more likely to be severely affected by the infection and are more likely than others to die from tetanus.

Complications of Tetanus

Certain complications may result from tetanus if you don’t seek proper treatment. For starters, if the toxin bonds to your nerve endings, it is impossible to remove these from your body. In order to make a complete recovery, your nerve endings have to regrow, a process that may take many months. Other complications include the following:

• Broken bones from severe muscle spasms
• Pulmonary embolism
• Death

If your muscle spasms are severe enough, they may interfere with your breathing and cause respiratory failure. This is one of the most common causes of death associated with tetanus. When you struggle to breathe and your body fails to get enough oxygen, you may go into cardiac arrest and die.