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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of tetanus may appear anytime from a few days to several weeks after tetanus bacteria enter your body through a wound. The average incubation period is seven to eight days.
Common signs and symptoms of tetanus, in order of appearance, are:
- Spasms and stiffness in your jaw muscles
- Stiffness of your neck muscles
- Difficulty swallowing
- Stiffness of your abdominal muscles
- Painful body spasms, lasting for several minutes, typically triggered by minor occurrences, such as a draft, loud noise, physical touch or light
Other signs and symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Sweating
- Elevated blood pressure
- Rapid heart rate
When to see a doctor
See your doctor to obtain a tetanus booster shot if you have a deep or dirty wound and you haven't had a booster shot within the past five years or aren't sure of your vaccination status. Or see your doctor about a tetanus booster for any wound — especially if it may have been contaminated with dirt, animal feces or manure — if you haven't had a booster shot within the past 10 years or aren't sure of your vaccination status.
- Tetanus: Questions and answers. Immunization Action Coalition. http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4220.pdf. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Facts about tetanus for adults. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. http://www.nfid.org/pdf/factsheets/tetanusadult.pdf.
- Sexton DJ. Tetanus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Kretsinger K, et al. Tetanus. In: Roush SW, et al. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. 4th ed. Atlanta, Ga.: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt16-tetanus.htm. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Tetanus. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec14/ch178/ch178i.html. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Diphtheria, tetanus & pertussis vaccines: What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-dtap.pdf. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Tetanus, diphtheria (Td) or tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) vaccine: What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-td-tdap.pdf. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Emergency wound care after a natural disaster. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/woundcare.asp. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
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