Precautions for Tetanus

Written by Ma Xian Shi
General Surgery
Updated on April 30, 2025
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Tetanus is an acute, specific infection caused by the invasion of Clostridium tetani into a human wound, where it grows, proliferates, and produces toxins. Clostridium tetani is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus. What should be considered in cases of tetanus? Patients with tetanus must be isolated in a single room. The environment should be as quiet as possible to avoid any auditory or visual stimuli. It is important to prevent falls from the bed or bedsores, control or relieve spasms as a key aspect of treatment, and on this basis, prevent asphyxiation and pulmonary infections. Patients with mild conditions can be treated with sedatives and sleeping pills. Severe cases may require the intravenous administration of chlorpromazine. Patients with severe convulsions or those suffering from laryngeal edema may require a tracheotomy.

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Written by Ma Xian Shi
General Surgery
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How long does it take for tetanus to develop?

Tetanus is an acute, specific infection caused by the invasion of Clostridium tetani into a human wound, where it grows and reproduces, producing toxins. Tetanus is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus that is widely present in the external environment. Tetanus occurs only when tetanus bacillus grows and reproduces locally in a wound and produces exotoxins, which are the cause of the disease. The toxins of tetanus include spasm toxin and hemolysin. The incubation period of tetanus generally ranges from six to ten days. In some cases, it can occur within 24 hours or take as long as 20 to 30 days, or even months, particularly following the removal of foreign bodies or shrapnel. Neonatal tetanus generally occurs seven days after umbilical cord separation, clinically also known as the "seven-day wind." Generally, the shorter the duration of the incubation period or prodromal symptoms, the more severe the symptoms and the higher the mortality rate.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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Tetanus nursing measures

Tetanus Patient Care: First, isolate the patient and maintain a quiet environment to minimize disturbances. Second, communicate carefully with the patient to alleviate their anxiety and boost their confidence in overcoming the illness. Third, install bed rails on both sides of the bed to prevent the patient from falling out. Additionally, use a mouth guard to prevent tongue injuries during spasms. Fourth, pay attention to the care of the patient's oral cavity and skin to prevent the development of oral ulcers, skin breakdown, or pressure sores.

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Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
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How many days after a tetanus shot should you not drink alcohol?

Tetanus injections are divided into tetanus toxoid, which requires a skin test, and tetanus immunoglobulin, which does not require a skin test. It is advised not to drink alcohol before receiving a tetanus toxoid injection, as alcohol can cause dilation of the capillaries throughout the body, leading to flushed skin, which can affect the outcome of the skin test and result in false positive or false negative results, impacting treatment. Wounds requiring tetanus injections are generally either very deep, severely contaminated, or involve an open fracture, typically indicating a severe wound. It is advised not to consume alcohol during the wound healing period to avoid delaying recovery. Therefore, alcohol should be avoided for 24 hours before the tetanus shot and during the subsequent recovery period of the wound.

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Written by Xing Wen Jun
General Surgery
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Cut by scissors on the hand requires a tetanus shot.

If the patient's hands were cut by scissors, first check if the scissors were rusty. If the scissors are rusty and the wound is small and deep, there's a higher risk of tetanus infection. It is advised that the patient should first rinse the wound under running water with soap repeatedly, then use hydrogen peroxide for local rinsing and scrubbing, followed by applying sterile iodophor for disinfection, and then cover with sterile dressing. It is recommended that the patient receive an injection of tetanus antitoxin within 24 hours for proactive prevention. If the scissors were made of stainless steel and relatively clean, and the wound is shallow, local treatment may suffice, and tetanus antitoxin injection generally isn't necessary. Additionally, during recovery, the patient should change dressings timely to prevent infection or the possibility of the wound splitting. If necessary, after cleaning and disinfecting, active suturing treatment should be considered.

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Written by Ai Bing Quan
General Surgery
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Where to get a tetanus shot?

Tetanus can be treated in any department, but generally, after an injury, one would first go to the emergency room. Therefore, tetanus is very common in emergency medicine. Tetanus is a type of anaerobic bacterium that is ubiquitous in nature. If a person has a wound that is small and deep, the internal environment can become anaerobic, which easily leads to rapid proliferation of tetanus. At this point, it is necessary to inject tetanus immunoglobulin into such wounds. It is best done within 24 hours because after a long period, the tetanus bacillus might have already proliferated in the wound. A skin test should be performed before the injection, and the injection can only proceed if the skin test is negative. If the wound is relatively large and severe, it generally will not be infected by tetanus bacillus.