Tetanus (lockjaw)
=================

About tetanus
-------------

Tetanus is a deadly infection that gets into a wound or the umbilical
cord, and then spreads throughout the body.

Tetanus
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Signs of tetanus most often appear 7 to 10 days after an injury.  But
signs can also start as soon as 3 days after being infected or not
appear until 2 or 3 weeks later.

Signs
-----

* Tense and painful contractions of all the muscles.
* During contractions, breathing may stop.
* Extreme muscle spasms that come and go.
* Lockjaw (cannot open the mouth easily).
* Stiff neck and a stiff, board-hard belly.

Get medical help fast for these signs!

Prevention
----------

Tetanus is much easier to prevent than to treat.  Prevent by
vaccinating all children against tetanus and carefully cleaning
wounds so they do not get infected.  Children need 3 doses of the
tetanus vaccine as infants and then 3 booster vaccines later.
Pregnant women need a tetanus vaccination unless they have had one
recently.

Wounds most likely to develop tetanus
-------------------------------------

* Puncture wounds.
* Gunshot wounds.
* Broken bones, when the bone pokes through the skin (open
 fractures).
* Severe burns or frostbite.
* Unsafe abortions and injections or piercings with used needles
 can also lead to tetanus.

Puncture wounds
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
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Broken bones
<gopher://tilde.pink/I/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/images/jpg/
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Piercings
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Serious, deep or dirty wounds need special cleaning, care, and
antibiotics.  Unless the person had a tetanus vaccine within the past
5 years, they need one now and also an injection of antitetanus
immunoglobulin.

deep wounds
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/08-deep-wounds/>
tetanus meds
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-tetanus/>

Newborn tetanus
---------------

Newborns can get infected with tetanus through the umbilical cord if
the mother does not have up-to-date tetanus vaccinations.  Cutting
the cord with a sterile blade and keeping the cord clean protect
babies from tetanus at birth.

tetanus meds
<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/books/no-doctor/32-meds-tetanus/>

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