Which department do I go to for a tetanus shot?

Written by Liu Huan Huan

General Surgery

Updated on January 12, 2025

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Tetanus shots are widely used clinically, and patients generally receive the injection after sustaining an injury. Therefore, it is recommended that patients visit the surgical department. If at a community hospital, they should go to the surgical outpatient clinic. If in a secondary or tertiary hospital, patients can go to the surgical outpatient clinic or the emergency surgery department for treatment. After wound treatment, they can receive a tetanus shot as required. Thus, patients usually go to the surgical department or emergency surgery for the tetanus injection.

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Written by Zhang Da Wei

General Surgery

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Can tetanus in humans be cured?

Tetanus is a curable infectious disease, which is often misunderstood as incurable due to the severity of its symptoms upon infection. Typically, the production of toxins leads to specific infectious manifestations. Clinically, it mainly presents with symptoms of rigidity or muscle spasms and tension, including stiffness in the neck and possibly opisthotonos among other conditions; it may even cause diaphragmatic spasms and respiratory difficulties. Therefore, it is crucial to handle such infections promptly, as timely treatment can lead to a complete cure. Of course, once infected, this disease can also pose a significant threat to life safety, and currently, the clinical mortality rate is relatively high.

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Written by Gao Tian

General Surgery

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What should I do if the tetanus skin test is positive?

For patients, what to do if there is a positive tetanus skin test? Generally if it's positive, you can undergo desensitization injections or use anti-protein drugs. Therefore, in such cases, getting a tetanus injection is also a preventative measure against infection. It's recommended to visit a surgeon to complete relevant examinations and then decide on the next steps. At the same time, thorough debridement and disinfection should be carried out. Afterwards, rest, pay attention to diet by avoiding spicy and irritating foods, maintain cleanliness and dryness, change dressings regularly, and have regular follow-ups. With proper control, recovery is possible.

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Written by Li Jin Quan

General Surgery

38sec

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Can tetanus be cured?

Tetanus is a curable disease. It is usually caused by an infection with the tetanus bacillus, which produces a specific infection in the human body. Clinically, it is mainly manifested as muscle tension and rigidity, with the primary symptoms being difficulty opening the mouth, a sardonic smile, neck stiffness, and opisthotonos. In severe cases, it can lead to respiratory confusion, respiratory arrest, or cardiac arrest. Therefore, patients with tetanus should go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible. With standardized and systematic treatment, the vast majority of patients can be cured.

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Written by Zhang Da Wei

General Surgery

48sec

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Tetanus transmission route

The transmission pathways of tetanus bacteria are quite numerous. Moreover, tetanus is an acute disease. It invades the human body through skin and mucous membrane wounds, generally producing toxins and causing illness. Usually, if the wound is more obvious, or there is a higher chance of wound infection, the reproductive capacity of the bacteria may be stronger, and thus the risk of tetanus infection is higher. Typically, after the onset of tetanus, there are clear symptoms such as fever and chills. If muscle stiffness occurs, the symptoms might be quite severe, requiring immediate medical attention. Additionally, it's helpful to observe whether the patient has speech difficulties, eating troubles, and in severe cases, there may even be convulsions.

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Written by Ai Bing Quan

General Surgery

52sec

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Can I drink alcohol after getting a tetanus shot?

After receiving a tetanus shot, it is not allowed to drink alcohol. Alternatively put, if you drink alcohol, you should not get a tetanus shot. At the same time, one should avoid consuming spicy, stimulating foods, and foods that are likely to cause allergies, to prevent allergic reactions and local wound fever. Tetanus shots are primarily used for injuries, therefore, patients with injuries should not consume the aforementioned substances and are advised to eat foods high in protein and vitamins to promote wound healing. Moreover, it is also necessary to enhance local dressing changes. A tetanus shot is solely used to prevent infections caused by tetanus; only through thorough wound cleaning and improving the anaerobic environment can the presence of tetanus be potentially eliminated.