I've looked this up quite a bit but I still would like information from someone knowledgeable and experienced. what are some tell-tale symptoms of early tetanus? would I be certain I had it if these symptoms were present? how long can it stay in the early stages without becoming serious, and how likely am I to even get it if I've had a shot five years ago?
I had a really nasty cut awhile ago, and it looks healed, but I know the disease can spread throughout your body. I don't want to waste money going to a doctor just to ask about it.
Any information is welcome, but I'm really looking for someone who is a nurse or other trained medical worker who REALLY knows what they're talking about.
Thank you.

tetanus shots are only once every ten years so dont worry about it. you are fine.

Just go 2 the clinic and get the tetnus there, its free.

If you have had the shot you are probably fine. I saw a man in the hospital one time with tetanus and it was a very debilitating disease. If you have a lot of the following symptoms, don't hesitate seeing your doctor:

Symptoms of localized tetanus (usually near a wound site) are often milder:
Local muscle stiffness
Localized muscle twitches
Localized muscle spasms
Symptoms of generalized tetanus are often severe:
Jaw stiffness
Restlessness
Stiff neck
Difficulty swallowing
Fever
Chills
Sore throat
Headache
Stiff arms
Stiff legs
Trismus (lockjaw)
Facial muscle spasm
Fixed smile
Permanent raised eyebrows
Exposed teeth
Neck muscle spasm
Neck muscle rigidity
Arched back
Back muscle spasm
Spinchter muscle spasm
Urine retention
Feces retention
Muscle contractions
Hyperreflexia
Glottal spasm
Difficulty breathing
Generalized muscle spasms
Opisthotonos
Muscle spasms triggered by minor disturbance
Muscle spasms triggered by noise
Respiratory spasm
Seizures
Paralysis
Extreme agony
High fever
Sweating
Anxiety

you are alive and breathing that means you don't have tetanus, if you had tetanus your muscles would start to tighten up, till its difficult for you to move around, your back muscles would contract pulling you into curved position, and you would Be locked in that position.
If you don't have the above symptoms then you don't have tetanus, and by the way get a Tetanus shot every year (although its effect lasts for 10 years, bet getting one every year would make sure that you are safe.)

Please see the webpage for more details on Tetanus. you should take tetanus toxoid from the nearest hospital immediately.

pores of the bacterium Clostridium tetani live in the soil and are found around the world. In the spore form, C. tetani may remain dormant in the soil, and it can remain infectious for more than 40 years.

Tetanus causes approximately five deaths per year in the U.S. Internationally, reports show up to 1 million cases annually, mostly in developing countries. Tetanus infections in newborns accounts for about half of tetanus-related deaths in developing countries.

Infection begins when the spores are introduced into an injury or wound. the spores germinate, releasing active bacteria that multiply and produce a neurotoxin called tetanospasmin. Tetanospasmin selectively blocks inhibitory nerve transmission from the spinal cord to the muscles, allowing the muscles to go into severe spasm. Spasmodic contractions can be so powerful that they tear the muscles or cause compression fractures of the vertebrae.

Tetanus often begins with mild spasms in the jaw muscles (trismus), neck muscles, and facial muscles. Stiffness rapidly develops in the chest, back, abdominal muscles, and sometimes the laryngeal muscles (which then interferes with breathing). Muscular seizures (tetany) cause sudden, powerful, and painful contraction of muscle groups. these episodes can cause fractures and muscle tears.

Without treatment, one out of three affected people die. the mortality rate for newborns with untreated tetanus is even higher: two out of three. with proper treatment, less than 10% of infected patients die.

The incubation period is 5 days to 15 weeks, with 7 days as the average. about 100 cases of tetanus occur every year in the U.S., the vast majority in un-immunized individuals or those whose last immunization was no longer current. In developing countries, tetanus frequently causes death in newborn infants when the umbilical stump becomes infected.

Whilst playing a friendly game of beer darts, I was struck about 4 inches above the knee with a dart. It went all the way in.

I think I must have at least gotten a tetanus shot around five or six years ago.

I am also starting to feel a scratchy throat coming on here, could that be a symptom of infection?

tetanus shots are good for 10 years. call your doc and ask when your most recent one was just to be sure.

i think the throat thing is probably just a coincidence. it could be a symptom of some sort of infection, but you most likely didn't get it from the dart.

on a side note…no kidding beer darts. who hits a person in the KNEE? more beer, less darts eh?

Not long ago I accidentally cut myself very lightly, it's not a deep cut but lately about two or three nights in a row my jaw has been tight, and I had a couple of headaches lately too. I don't know much about lockjaw/tetanus and from what I know there are no other symptoms that would be related to it…should I see a doctor about my jaw being a bit tight, it only happens during the night time, but it is a bit tight at the moment too so I'm not sure if I am being overly worried or not?

I remember getting tetanus shots after stepping on nails that were rusted or dirty.

What is tetanus?

Tetanus is a condition that affects the nervous system and causes painful, uncontrolled muscle spasms. because of widespread immunization, tetanus is now rare. another name for tetanus is lockjaw.

What is the infectious agent that causes tetanus?

Tetanus is caused by a toxin (poison) produced by spores of the bacterium Clostridium tetani. Spores are hardy forms of the bacteria that can survive in the environment in an inactive state for a long time.

Where is tetanus found?

Tetanus occurs worldwide. Tetanus spores are found throughout the environment, usually in soil, dust, and animal waste.

How do people get tetanus?

Tetanus spores can enter the body through a wound that is contaminated with soil, dust, or animal waste. Spores can get into the body through even a tiny pinprick or scratch, but they usually enter through deep puncture wounds or cuts, like those made by nails or knives. Tetanus spores can also get into the body when skin is damaged by burns or by injecting contaminated street drugs. once the spores enter a wound, they produce a powerful nerve poison that spreads through the body and causes painful symptoms.

What are the signs and symptoms of tetanus?

The first signs of tetanus infection are usually a headache and spasms or cramping of the jaw muscles (lockjaw). As the poison spreads, it progressively attacks more groups of muscles, causing spasms in the neck, arms, legs, and stomach, and sometimes violent convulsions (seizures).

How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?

The time between the contamination of a wound and the first symptoms is usually less than 2 weeks but can range from 2 days to months. In general, the shorter the time between exposure and symptoms, the more severe the disease.

How is tetanus diagnosed?

Tetanus is diagnosed by its symptoms.

Who is at risk for tetanus?

In the United States, tetanus occurs mostly in newborns, children, young adults, and older adults who are either not immunized or not adequately immunized. Injecting drug users are also at risk.

What complications can result from tetanus?

In the United States, 3 of every 10 persons who get tetanus die from it. for those who survive, recovery can be long (1-2 months) and difficult. Muscle spasms usually decrease after about 2 weeks and disappear after another week or two, but the person may be weak and stiff for a long time. other complications include breathing problems, bone fractures, high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeats, clotting in the blood vessels of the lung, pneumonia, and coma.

What is the treatment for tetanus?

Persons with tetanus usually must spend several weeks in the hospital in intensive care to manage the complications.

How common is tetanus?

Tetanus is a major problem in developing countries where immunization of children is not required or enforced. In the United States, most states require tetanus immunization for entry to school. Cases average between 50 and 100 per year, mostly in under-immunized older adults.

Is tetanus an emerging infectious disease?

No. Cases have been decreasing since the 1940s. However, getting children immunized and guaranteeing that they get the complete series of shots is still a challenge, especially among poor children and in areas of the country where under-immunization is a problem.

How can tetanus be prevented?

The most important way to prevent tetanus is through complete immunization and proper wound care.

1. Prevent tetanus through immunization — An effective vaccine against teta

clenching the jaw at night is a common problem unrelated to tetanus. If you have had regular tetanus vaccines, you are immune to tetanus. the vaccines are good for 7-10 years.

Night time jaw clenching is called sleep bruxism. This is usually treated by a dentist, or a family doctor. the usual treatment is using a silicon mouth guard that dissipates the pressure. many people can also learn to stop this on their own by catching themselves whenever the clenching wakes them up, and then relaxing the jaw.

There are no symptoms shown. the kid got a tetanus shot 8 yrs before her cat bite, which was about 5 years ago. She also got a tetanus shot and other shots last year. Is she still at risk of a disease?

Cat bites are not known to be a likely source of tetanus infection at all. And since the child is up to date on her tetanus immunizations there should be no risk at all from any source.

you said she had a cat bite 5 years ago. That is way past the incubation period for tetanus anyway.

if this child is showing symptoms similar to tetanus, muscle spasms for example, whatever it is it has nothing to do with the cat bite but is certainly an indication she should see a physician right away.

A tetanus shot is good for 10 years, so I would say she probably doesn't have it. also, the incubation period for tetanus is 3-21 days, so if it's been 5 years and there are no symptoms…I'd say you're in the clear.

No her tetanus shots are up to date, but cat bites can be serious in other ways like infection. Go to your family doctor and explain all of this to him. he will know what to do.

Tetanus shots are good for 10 years. if you have a concern, just update your shot.