Tetanus disease or commonly known as lockjaw is a condition in which the toxin from the bacterium clostridium tetani (which is usually found in soil, dust or animal waste) enters the human body through a wound. Then, the bacterial toxin will spread throughout the body through the nervous system.
What are the symptoms of tetanus?
There are several symptoms of tetanus that can appear, but the symptoms experienced by each sufferer can be different from one another. Here are some of the symptoms commonly felt by tetanus sufferers:
- muscle spasms
Muscle spasms are the most common symptom of tetanus. Seizures can occur anywhere in the body, but usually start in the jaw or neck and then spread throughout the body. In addition, muscle spasms can also cause severe pain. - muscle stiffness
In addition to muscle spasms, tetanus can also cause muscle stiffness throughout the body. People with tetanus may feel stiff and unable to move their bodies freely. - Difficulty swallowing
Due to stiff jaw muscles, people with tetanus can have difficulty swallowing food or drinks. This can cause dehydration to malnutrition. - Pain in the head
Some people with tetanus can experience severe and recurring headaches. - Fever
Other symptoms of tetanus that can occur are fever and chills. - Excessive sweating
People with tetanus can experience excessive sweating, especially at night. - Irregular heartbeat
Tetanus can cause an irregular heartbeat and increase the risk of a heart attack.
How to deal with tetanus?
To treat tetanus, actions are needed that aim to overcome bacterial wound infections and relieve symptoms. Here are some handling efforts that can be done:
- Clean the wound
Cleaning the wound and maintaining cleanliness is the first action that must be taken to prevent tetanus infection. - Get the tetanus vaccine
Tetanus vaccination is very important to prevent tetanus infection. The tetanus vaccination involves giving the first dose of vaccine and then giving an additional dose every 10 years. If you have a history of injuries that are unclear about your last tetanus vaccination, consult your doctor immediately. - Administration of tetanus immunoglobulin
If the patient has no history of tetanus vaccine within the last 5 years, the doctor may give tetanus immunoglobulin to help fight infection. - Treatment of spasms and pain
The doctor may prescribe drugs such as diazepam or phenytoin to help control seizures and pain. - Long term care
If the sufferer has severe tetanus, then there is a possibility that he will need to be hospitalized for long-term care. The doctor will prescribe medicines to help relieve symptoms of tetanus and monitor the patient's condition.
Those are some of the symptoms and how to treat tetanus. To prevent tetanus from occurring, you can get the proper tetanus vaccination and keep wounds and injuries clean if you get injured. If you or your relatives experience the symptoms above, immediately consult a trusted doctor to get further treatment.
Article written by dr. Indra Satiavani, Sp.PD (Internal Medicine Specialist at EMC Cikarang Hospital).