How is tetanus treated

A patient with muscle spasms and stiffness who has recently had a wound or cut is usually diagnosed quickly. Diagnosis may take longer with patients who inject drugs because they often have other medical conditions. They made need a blood test for confirmation. If the patient does not receive treatment, the risk of life-threatening complications is higher. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord.

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Antibiotics include a range of powerful drugs that kill bacteria or slow their growth. They treat bacterial infections, not viruses. If used…. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. Anyone can develop pneumonia, but certain groups of people….

Penicillins are a group of antibiotics used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections. They are derived from fungi, and their medical properties…. Everything you need to know about tetanus.

Written by Adam Felman on December 13, What is tetanus? Symptoms Treatment Causes Prevention Diagnosis Complications Tetanus, also called lockjaw, is a serious infection caused by Clostridium tetani. Share on Pinterest Tetanus can be fatal but vaccinations are standard in the U. Share on Pinterest Wounds should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent infection. Share on Pinterest. Latest news Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help?

Related Coverage. All about the central nervous system. Medically reviewed by Seunggu Han, MD. Everything you need to know about eyelid twitch. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. What to know about antibiotics. A tetanus infection requires emergency and long-term supportive care while the disease runs its course. Treatment consists of wound care, medications to ease symptoms and supportive care, usually in an intensive care unit.

Care for your wound requires cleaning to remove dirt, debris or foreign objects that may be harboring bacteria. Your care team will also clear the wound of any dead tissue that could provide an environment in which bacteria can grow. Supportive therapies include treatments to make sure your airway is clear and to provide breathing assistance.

A feeding tube into the stomach is used to provide nutrients. The care environment is intended to reduce sounds, light or other possible triggers of generalized spasms. Proper wound care is important for any cut or wound. Seek medical care if you have a puncture wound, a deep cut, an animal bite, a foreign object in your wound, or a wound contaminated with dirt, soil, feces, rust or saliva.

If you're unsure when you last had a tetanus vaccine, seek medical care. Contaminated or more-serious wounds require a vaccination booster if it's been five or more years since your last tetanus shot. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Reviewed: January 21, Medically Reviewed. It is caused by a toxin produced by spores of the bacteria Clostridium tetani. These bacteria live in the environment, including in soil, dust, and animal feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC.

Once the bacteria get into the wound, they can produce a toxin that affects the abilities of muscles to work. This can cause stiffening and rigidity of muscles, which is a very serious condition, especially once it affects the muscles used to breathe, notes the Mayo Clinic.

The incubation period — time from exposure to illness — is usually between 3 and 21 days. Most cases occur within 14 days, with shorter incubation periods when there's a more heavily contaminated wound, according to the Immunization Action Coalition. According to the CDC, other symptoms include:.

Tetanus cases have developed from the following:. People with diabetes or a history of immunosuppression and intravenous drug users may be at higher risk for tetanus, sccording to the CDC. Diabetes was associated with 13 percent of all reported tetanus cases from through , and a quarter of all tetanus deaths.

Intravenous drug users accounted for 7 percent of cases from through Neonatal tetanus is a form of the disease that occurs in newborns.

This form occurs very rarely in developed countries. Neonatal tetanus is particularly common in rural areas where most deliveries are at home without adequate sterile procedures. Tetanus is diagnosed based on clinical signs and symptoms.

Laboratory diagnosis is not useful, as the bacteria that causes the disease cannot be recovered from the wound of a person who has tetanus. But with treatment, patients usually survive tetanus and recover. In recent years, tetanus has been fatal in approximately 11 percent of reported cases. Cases most likely to be fatal are those occurring in people 60 years of age and older and those who are unvaccinated, according to the CDC. Symptoms, including spasms, can last for several minutes at a time and continue for three to four weeks.

Complete recovery from the disease may take months. Treatment focuses on managing complications until the effects of the tetanus toxin resolve. A person who has tetanus will be treated in a hospital, usually in the intensive care unit. Treatment will usually include antibiotics to kill bacteria and tetanus immune globulin TIG to neutralize the toxin already released, according to KidsHealth.

Depending on how serious the infection is, you may need to be placed on a ventilator to help you breathe, notes the Mayo Clinic. The tetanus vaccine usually is given to children as part of the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis DTaP vaccine. This vaccination provides protection against three diseases: a throat and respiratory infection diphtheria , whooping cough pertussis , and tetanus, notes the CDC. Protection from the tetanus vaccine does not last a lifetime, which is why the CDC recommends booster shots every 10 years.

Be sure to stay up to date with all of your vaccinations and ask your doctor to review your vaccination status regularly. Your doctor may need to clean the wound, prescribe an antibiotic , and give you a booster shot of the tetanus toxoid vaccine. If you've previously been vaccinated, your body should quickly make the needed antibodies to protect you against tetanus.

According to the CDC, serious health problems that can happen because of tetanus include:. Severe tetanus-induced tetanic muscle spasms can interfere with or stop your breathing.