Contents:
- Medical Video: How Long Is a Tetanus Shot Good For?
- Overview of tetanus
- Do you need to inject tetanus after stepping on a nail?
Medical Video: How Long Is a Tetanus Shot Good For?
When you accidentally step on a nail, usually many people advise you to inject tetanus. However, some people who still do not understand clearly why they need to inject tetanus and are really needed. For more details, see the following review.
Overview of tetanus
Tetanus is a serious infection caused by Clostridium tetani. These bacteria produce poisons that can affect the brain and nervous system. Spores Clostridium tetani nests inside a wound can interfere with the nerves that control muscle movement.
Symptoms of tetanus usually appear around 7 to 10 days after infection. However, in some cases symptoms usually appear within weeks or even months. The farther the location of the wound from the central nervous system, the longer the symptoms will appear. Conversely, the closer to the central nerve, the faster the incubation period and the symptoms that appear will get worse.
The most common symptom is muscle stiffness and spasms. Usually starting from the neck to the throat, accompanied by symptoms of difficulty swallowing. Then you can also experience spasms in the facial muscles and chest which can lead to difficulty breathing. In severe cases, the spine can be curved backward because the bacteria affect the back muscles.
In addition, people affected by tetanus also experience the following symptoms:
- Fever.
- Bloody diarrhea and stools.
- Headache.
- Sensitive to touch.
- Sore throat.
- Sweating more than usual.
- Heart rate increases.
- Muscle cramps to the neck, throat, chest, abdomen, legs, and back.
Do you need to inject tetanus after stepping on a nail?
One of the things that causes tetanus is when someone experiences stab wounds on objects that have been contaminated with bacteria so that the risk of infection increases. One of them is on rusty nails. If you experience this, then is it necessary to inject tetanus? The answer yes. Anyone who experiences deep wounds from dirty sharp objects and has never been vaccinated with tetanus for the past five years needs to be given tetanus injections.
The tetanus injection given can be tetanus toxoid (TT), often known as the tetanus vaccine, or tetanus immunoglobulin (TIG), known as tetanus antibody. Usually for stab wounds that are not too severe, and you have already received a tetanus vaccine of more than 3 doses, then only the TT should be given.
However, if a puncture wound is a dirty wound, large enough, with a TT vaccine history of less than 3 doses, then you need to be given a TT with additional TIG to fight the tetanus bacteria.
Because tetanus is a serious bacterial infection that can paralyze the entire body to eventually cause death. Tetanus is a medical emergency and tetanus injection is one of the treatments that can be done to prevent it.
Tetanus-prone wounds must be handled directly by a doctor. A list of injuries that are at risk includes:
- Burns that require surgery but have been delayed for more than six hours.
- Burns that eliminate many body tissues.
- Wounds caused by animal bites.
- Stab wounds such as nails, needles, and others that have been contaminated with dirt or soil.
- Serious fracture where the bone is infected.
- Burns in patients with systemic sepsis.
Every patient with the above wound must receive tetanus injection as soon as possible, even if previously vaccinated. The goal is to kill bacteria Clostridium tetani. The doctor will immediately inject it into a blood vessel.
However, because these injections only provide short-term effects, doctors will also prescribe antibiotics such as penicillin or metonidazole to treat tetanus. This antibiotic prevents bacteria from multiplying and produces neurotoxins that cause muscle spasms and stiffness.
