What Is Tetanus?

By Author: rajat ziffytech
Total Articles: 22
Comment this article

Tetanus is a serious infection caused by bacteria infection attacking your nervous system. The bacteria “Clostridium tetani” produces the nerve toxin resulting in tetanus. The condition causes muscle contractions, especially in the jaw and neck muscles. Tetanus can cause breathing problems and lead to a condition called “lockjaw”. The bacteria are found in the soil and animal and human intestines. The infection can remain dormant for years before it becomes active.

Thanks to vaccines tetanus is now a preventable disease. Mortality is high in neonatal babies, pregnant women, and the elderly. There is no cure for tetanus. Treatment focuses on managing the symptom until the tetanus toxins lessen. Tetanus is not contagious. The bacteria spores enter the body through a wound and develop into an infection.

Symptoms

Symptoms of tetanus can appear several days to weeks after the bacteria enter your body. The incubation period is typically 7 to 10 days. Symptoms usually occur 14 days after infection. Signs and symptoms of tetanus are:-

Tremor and stiffness in the jaw muscle (trismus).
Stiff jaw and neck muscles. This can spread to other muscle including abdominal muscles, chest, and back.
Unable or difficulty swallowing.
Painful spasm usually lasts for several minutes.
Other symptoms include:-

High Fever
Sweating
Sore throat.
Elevated heartbeat or tachycardia.
High blood pressure or hypertension.
Book a doctor in Patna if you have not had a booster shot for over 10 years or have a deep wound and have not got a tetanus vaccine for 5 years.

Causes

Tetanus is caused by the Clostridium tetani bacterium. The bacteria can live outside a body and is present in the contaminated soil and animal and human feces. The spores can enter the body through a deep flesh wound or a puncture wound. The bacteria can also be caused after burns and breaks in the skin. Tetanus can affect new mothers and their infants. The powerful toxin is called tetanospasmin weakens the motor neurons (nerves that control the muscles) that control your muscles.

Diagnosis

The best doctor in Patna diagnosis the condition based on your clinically based on your patient history. The doctor will ask you where you got hurt. The diagnosis is based on the symptom of the disease such as muscle spasm, stiffness, and pain. The doctor near me may perform the spatula tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment

There are no medicines to treat tetanus. The best doctor in Patna cleans the wound thoroughly and prescribes antibiotics. The treatment method tries to stop the toxin production, antitoxin drugs may be prescribed. Medication to counteract muscle spasms is also given. The doctor near me may opt to sedate you but it can cause breathing difficulty. In more severe cases you may need a ventilator.

Prevention

Puncture wounds, deep cuts, or animal bites increases the risks of tetanus. You need to book a doctor in Patna in case you have been bitten by an animal or have a deep wound. The doctor near me will clean the wound thoroughly, prescribe antibiotics, and give you a booster shot of a tetanus vaccine.