Health

find out how long does a tetanus shot last and is it safe to get it ?

October 4, 2023
Yashika Sharma

A tetanus shot is basically a vaccine which prevents a life threatening bacterial infection called tetanus or lockjaw. This is the kind of infection which affects a person’s nervous system. It is very important to take tetanus shots regularly as it helps to prevent developing this infection. The ingredients that are present in this shot are called tetanus toxoid. Childrens, babies and adults of all ages are required to get doses of tetanus vaccine at different times during their whole life. 

Doctors give this vaccine to you or your child using a thin needle or injection in the thigh or upper arm. The shot of it might include only the vaccine of tetanus or it might also include some other vaccines in a single shot.

The shot of tetanus works by stimulating the immune system of our body to create an immune response. When a person receives a toxoid of tetanus through its shot, the immune system responds by creating the antibodies, which help to fight with the specific bacteria that is causing this disease. People usually have a lot of questions about its shot, such as how long does a tetanus shot last, whether it’s safe to get it or not & many more things. So if you also want to know all this, then we got you covered through this article.

As you scroll down, you will find out complete details about tetanus shots, such as how long does this shot last or work, is it safe to get this shot, symptoms of tetanus etc. So just continue to read below to check out all the info.

How long does a tetanus shot last?

So the immune protection that is provided to our body by a tetanus shot definitely does not last forever. This is the reason why it is often recommended that children, teens and adults should get a booster shot of tetanus once in every 10 years to stay safe and protected from the tetanus infection.  

Shots of tetanus are also given to a person on demand if there is a very dirty and deep cut, just like when someone steps on a rusty nail. It is given as a precaution, in case the person has not taken a tetanus shot in the last 5 years. So a potential answer to how long does a tetanus shot last could be 5 to 10 years, after which it is highly recommended to get it again. 

Also, there are different types of tetanus shots which are used by the doctors to protect children and adults from the infection of tetanus. Though most of the types are combination shots, which protects from some other diseases too, if you are getting a booster shot ever, your doctor might only give you the one which contains the toxoid of tetanus. And so children and babies who are under 7 might get their vaccine which contains the following-

  1. DT Vaccine
  2. DTaP Vaccine

And teenage, adults and old age might receive the one containing-

  1. Tdap Vaccine
  2. Td Vaccine

Is it safe to get a tetanus vaccine?

As you know now how long does a tetanus shot last, it is also important to know if it’s safe to get it in the first place. So complications arising from tetanus vaccines are considered to be very rare, and actually the disease poses way more risks than the vaccine. Bt when side effects of it do occur, they are usually very mild and might include the following-

  1. Body aches
  2. Headache Fussiness in the babies
  3. Stomach pain or nausea
  4. Fever
  5. Redness at injection’s site
  6. Pain and swelling
  7. Feeling of tiredness

Now, serious problem are very rare in this case, but can include any of the following-

  1. Seizures
  2. An allergic reaction

And if you think that you or your child might have an allergic reaction to this tetanus vaccine, then you need to look out for medical help. And symptoms of an allergic reaction on your body might be-

  1. Difficulty in breathing
  2. Fast heartbeat
  3. Hives

There are some people who sound not be vaccinated, which includes people who are-

  1. Having Guillain Barre Syndrome which is a neurological immune disorder.
  2. Have a serious reaction to the previous doses of the vaccine.

What are the things prevented by tetanus shots and symptoms of tetanus?

As you read above about how long does a tetanus shot last and whether it’s safe to get it, here are details of things that it prevents from and symptoms of tetanus disease. So basically a shot of tetanus protects a person from tetanus, which is a very dangerous and serious infection. But there is no such cure for tetanus.

This disease is basically caused by a bacteria called Clostridium tetani. These bacterias live in the soil and poop. They get into our skin through a scratch or cut, which leads to injection. This is not contagious, as you can not catch it from some other person. Some of the most common symptoms of tetanus includes the following-

  1. Fast heartbeat and high blood pressure or hypertension.
  2. Seizures
  3. Paralysis or inability to move around
  4. Headache
  5. Spasm of muscles which most often occur in the stomach area. But this can also happen over the body and can even lead to breaking of bones due to their force.
  6. Excessive sweating and fever
  7. Lockjaw, which means locking up or tightening of the jaw or neck muscles, which makes it difficult to speak, breathe and even swallow. 

Conclusion

Tetanus is a potentially very deadly disease, but can also be prevented by staying aware and up to date with the schedules of its vaccine, and getting boosters at least once in 10 years. All the essential details related to tetanus are provided above in this article, such as how long does a tetanus shot last, what are the causes, is it safe to get its vaccine and much more. So just read out everything and in case you ever suspect that you might have been exposed to tetanus, immediately see a doctor to stay safe from developing any serious problem!