What kind of doctor treats tetanus

Because other problems can cause muscle spasms like tetanus, your doctor will do tests to make sure your symptoms are not caused by something else. If you are infected with tetanus, you will need to stay in a hospital so you can get medicines and fluids to control muscle spasms and pain.

You also may need treatment to help you breathe. Your doctor will fully clean any wound or cut to remove bacteria. Cleaning the affected area stops bacteria from making toxin. Treatment also includes:. After you've had tetanus, you are not immune to the disease.

You could get infected again. So keep getting routine tetanus shots after you get better. You can prevent tetanus by getting all of your recommended immunizations shots. There are three different shots that protect you from tetanus. If you never had tetanus shots as a child, or if you're not sure if you had them, you'll need to get 3 tetanus shots in about a 1-year time span.

Your doctor will tell you which shots you will need. After that, 1 booster shot every 10 years will protect you. You will need a tetanus shot as soon as possible if you have a dirty cut or wound and 5 or more years have passed since your last tetanus shot. The doctor will clean the wound and may give you antibiotics. Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.

Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Symptoms typically appear within 14 days of initial infection. Infections that occur faster after exposure are typically more severe and have a worse prognosis.

Your doctor will perform a physical exam to check for symptoms of tetanus, such as muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Unlike many other diseases, tetanus is not generally diagnosed through laboratory tests. However, your doctor may still perform lab tests to help rule out diseases with similar symptoms. These include meningitis , a bacterial infection that affects the brain and spinal cord, or rabies , a viral infection that causes brain swelling.

Your doctor will also base a tetanus diagnosis on your immunization history. Treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms. Tetanus is typically treated with a variety of therapies and medications, such as:. In some cases, a surgical procedure called debridement is used to remove dead or infected tissue. If you have difficulty swallowing and breathing , you may need a breathing tube or ventilator a machine that moves air in and out of the lungs.

Severe muscle spasms as a result of tetanus can also cause serious health complications, such as:. Vaccination can prevent tetanus infections, but only if you receive your booster shots on schedule.

In the United States, the tetanus vaccine is given to children as part of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis shot, also called the DTap shot.

This is a three-in-one vaccine that protects against diphtheria , pertussis , and tetanus. Children need to get a booster shot at 11 or 12 years of age. Adults then need a booster vaccine called the Td vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria every 10 years after that. Seek medical care if you have a puncture wound, a deep cut, an animal bite, a foreign object in your wound, or a wound contaminated with dirt, soil, feces, rust or saliva. If you're unsure when you last had a tetanus vaccine, seek medical care.

Contaminated or more-serious wounds require a vaccination booster if it's been five or more years since your last tetanus shot. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis Doctors diagnose tetanus based on a physical exam, medical and vaccination history, and the signs and symptoms of muscle spasms, muscle rigidity and pain. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. A doctor will assess the wound and decide whether you need treatment and whether you need to go to hospital.

If a doctor thinks there's a chance you could develop tetanus from a wound, but you do not yet have any symptoms, they'll make sure your wound is thoroughly cleaned. They may also give you an injection of tetanus immunoglobulin. If you have not been fully immunised for tetanus, or you're not sure whether you have, you may be given a dose of the tetanus vaccine.

You may also be given antibiotics. Tetanus immunoglobulin is a medicine containing antibodies that prevent the tetanus toxin working, stopping its effects on the nerves. It provides immediate, but short-term, protection from tetanus. If you develop symptoms of tetanus, you'll usually need to be admitted to a hospital intensive care unit ICU , where you may be given several different treatments.

These could include tetanus immunoglobulin, antibiotics, and medicine to help muscle stiffness and spasms.

The tetanus vaccine is given as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.