How long before lockjaw sets in

When the bacteria invade the body, they produce a poison toxin that causes painful muscle contractions. CDC recommends vaccines for infants, children, teens, and adults to prevent tetanus. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. It provides immediate, but short-term, protection from tetanus. If you develop symptoms of tetanus, you'll usually need to be admitted to a hospital intensive care unit ICU , where you may be given several different treatments.

These could include tetanus immunoglobulin, antibiotics, and medicine to help muscle stiffness and spasms. The tetanus vaccine is given as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme. This course of 5 injections should provide long-lasting protection against tetanus. However, if you or your child has a deep or dirty wound, it's best to get medical advice.

If you're not sure whether you've had the full vaccination course, contact your GP surgery for advice. It's possible to fully vaccinate older children and adults who were not vaccinated when they were younger. Tetanus is found throughout the world, so you should make sure you're fully vaccinated before travelling abroad. Contact your GP surgery for advice if you're planning to travel abroad and have not been fully vaccinated against tetanus, or you're going to an area with limited medical facilities and your last vaccine dose was more than 10 years ago.

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Always thoroughly clean any cuts, punctures, or tears to your skin.

Disinfect as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Helpful 9 Not Helpful 0. The standard incubation period for tetanus is days. However, it can take up to 3 weeks for symptoms to appear. The more serious the infection, the shorter the incubation period. Helpful 6 Not Helpful 2. If you have an open wound, avoid contact with manure or soil that may be contaminated with manure. Helpful 6 Not Helpful 3. Because of widespread immunization, tetanus is now a rare disease.

However, the consequences of the disease can be severe if left untreated. If you believe you have become infected with tetanus, see your doctor immediately. Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2. Related wikiHows How to. How to. Co-authors: Updated: July 1, Categories: Bacterial Infections. Medical Disclaimer The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment.

Article Summary X Tetanus, or lockjaw, is a serious infection that can enter the body through a cut or wound and spread to the rest of your body in as little as 3 days. Deutsch: Eine Tatanus Kiefersperre erkennen. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times.

Reader Success Stories Anonymous Jul 21, That makes me feel at ease by actually knowing the type of sickness my son is suffering from. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy.

About This Article Co-authors: Anonymous Jul 21, You Might Also Like How to. Featured Articles How to. In unvaccinated individuals, tetanus is contracted through a cut or deep wound which becomes contaminated with the organism. Tetanus has also been associated with clean wounds, surgical procedures, insect bites, dental infections, and intravenous drug use. It is not transmitted from person to person.

The tetanus bacteria are everywhere in the environment and is commonly found in soil, dust and manure. A common first sign of tetanus is muscular stiffness in the jaw lockjaw. Other symptoms include stiffness of the neck, trouble swallowing, painful muscle stiffness all over the body, spasms, sweating, and fever.

The incubation period is usually 8 days but may range from 3 days to 3 weeks. Shorter incubation periods are associated with more heavily contaminated wounds. Other complications include fractures of the spine or long bones from stiff muscles, elevated blood pressure, abnormal heartbeats, coma, clotting in the blood vessels of the lung, and pneumonia.