What Does
Tetanus Mean?
Tetanus is an infection of the nervous system that often results in the locking of the neck and jaw muscles, making it difficult to speak, open the mouth, or swallow. It is a serious disease that can give rise to life-threatening complications if not treated.
There is no cure for tetanus, but its symptoms can be managed until the effects resolve.
Tetanus is also commonly known as lockjaw.
Safeopedia Explains Tetanus
Tetanus infection is caused by the bacteria Clostridium tetani, which produces a toxin that causes painful muscle contractions. Spores of this bacteria can be found throughout the environment, including in dust and soil. It does not, however, spread from person to person.
Tetanus is considered a medical emergency and requires treatment with human tetanus immune globulin, aggressive wound care, drugs, antibiotics, and tetanus vaccination.
Tetanus can be prevented by immunization with tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccines (TTCV). Since vaccinations against tetanus are easily available, cases of it are now rare in the United States and other developed countries.
How Tetanus Gets into the Body
Tetanus primarily enters the body through injuries that break the skin barrier. It is more likely to infect certain types of breaks in the skin, such as:
- Those contaminated with dirt, saliva, or feces
- Those caused by rusted nails, needles, or tools
- Burn injuries
- Crush injuries caused by body parts getting squeezed between heavy objects
- Some surgical procedures
- Insect bites
- Dental infections
The bacteria can survive in a dormant state until they find a place to thrive, like in a wound. When the bacteria enter the wound, the cells begin to grow and divide, releasing a toxin called tetanospasmin, which impairs the nerves in the body that control muscles.
Some factors that increase the risk of tetanus infection include:
- Wounds or cuts exposed to soil
- Presence of a foreign body, such as a splinter, in the wound
- Immune-suppressing medical conditions
- Infected skin lesions in diabetics
- Unsanitary use of needles and sharing needles
Symptoms of Tetanus
Tetanus has an incubation period that varies between 3 and 21 days after infection, with most cases occurring within 14 days.
Symptoms of a tetanus infection include:
- Cramps in the jaw, making it difficult to open the mouth
- Difficulty swallowing
- Sudden, painful muscle spasms triggered by loud noises
- Muscle spasms in the extremities, back, and abdomen
- Headache
- Fever and sweating
- Seizures
- Fast heart rate
- Changes in blood pressure
Diagnosing Tetanus
Diagnosis of tetanus is based on clinical symptoms and does not require laboratory testing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers the signs of tetanus to be sustained spasms of the facial muscles where the person appears to be grinning, or painful contractions of the muscles.
Types of Tetanus
Tetanus can be classified into a few types, including:
- Generalized tetanus: Causes painful muscle spasms and stuff muscles in the jaw, painful spasms and rigidity in the neck muscles, difficulty swallowing, and rigid abdominal muscles. The symptoms start gradually and worsen over two weeks, starting from the jaw and moving downward through the body.
- Localized tetanus: A relatively uncommon form of tetanus in which the patient experiences muscle spasms near the wound site. Although it is less severe, it can progress to generalized tetanus.
- Cephalic tetanus: A rare form of tetanus that occurs due to a head wound and causes weakness in the facial muscles and spasms in the jaw muscles. It can also progress to generalized tetanus.