Where to get a tetanus shot?

Written by Tang Da Wei
General Surgery
Updated on May 26, 2025
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First, if a patient has a traumatic injury with a deep wound, there is a possibility of infection by tetanus bacillus. It's necessary to inject a tetanus shot into the muscle. After administering the tetanus shot, the wound must be thoroughly debrided. Generally, hydrogen peroxide and saline should be used to repeatedly rinse the wound, reaching the deepest part to ensure that the tetanus bacillus is completely killed. For getting a tetanus shot, one can go to regular hospitals, outpatient clinics, or emergency departments. It is also possible to get vaccinated at community health centers and township health centers where vaccinations are available.

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General Surgery
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Criteria for a Positive Tetanus Diagnosis

After a person is injured, if the wound reaches deeper parts such as the subcutaneous fat layer or even the muscle layer, it is essential to administer tetanus antitoxin to prevent infection from tetanus bacillus. Before injecting the tetanus antitoxin, a skin test must be conducted to prevent allergies and anaphylactic shock. Generally, after injecting the test agent, observations are made for 30 minutes. If there is an enlargement of the wheal, redness and swelling that infiltrates surrounding areas, and the patient feels itching, it indicates a positive result.

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Is tetanus shot a vaccine?

Tetanus shots are not vaccines; they are a type of passive immunization. To understand this, we need to know about the pathogenesis of tetanus. Tetanus infection generally refers to an infection by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium that proliferates and grows in wounds and can produce exotoxins, leading to corresponding clinical symptoms in patients. Therefore, tetanus shots include tetanus antitoxin and tetanus immunoglobulin. Their main function is to neutralize the bacterial exotoxins, hence they are considered passive immunization agents and belong to the antibody category, not vaccines.

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Can tetanus cause back pain?

Tetanus attacks can cause back pain. The main symptoms of tetanus are convulsions, impaired consciousness, and frothing at the mouth. If the attacks continue, not only will there be back pain, but also pain in the limbs, and severe cases may lead to fractures. Therefore, when tetanus occurs, the patient should be taken to the hospital immediately for emergency treatment. Sedatives should be administered, and if necessary, anesthesia should be used to control the symptoms and reduce complications. Attention should also be paid to keeping the airway clear to minimize the occurrence of asphyxiation. If necessary, tracheal intubation and ventilator treatment should be applied.

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Does a tetanus shot hurt?

Tetanus shots are certainly painful, but why do they hurt? Firstly, because a skin test is needed for tetanus, which primarily involves injecting the drug under the skin of the forearm to form a small bump about 0.5cm in diameter. It is known that there are abundant nerve endings under the skin, so the injection of the drug can cause local swelling and compress the surrounding nerves, and the drug can also cause an irritation response in the surrounding nerves, which is why tetanus shots are painful.

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How many tetanus shots are administered?

A tetanus shot is sufficient; tetanus treatment can be divided into tetanus toxoid, which requires a skin test, and tetanus immunoglobulin, which does not require a skin test. The tetanus bacillus is commonly found in anaerobic wounds and heavily contaminated wounds, such as those contaminated with soil and rust etc., which can lead to colonization of tetanus bacilli on human mucous membranes and invasion of the body, producing toxins that affect the jaw muscles and respiratory muscles, causing difficulty in breathing and, in severe cases, endangering life. Therefore, for patients who need antitetanus treatment, it is imperative to undergo such treatment, generally with just one injection.