When do you need to get a tetanus shot

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Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! If you have a tetanus-prone wound, additional treatment may be given, even if you have been fully vaccinated. If you have a tetanus-prone wound and it's considered to be high risk, treatment with tetanus immunoglobulin TIG is recommended.

TIG is a solution that contains infection-fighting cells antibodies that kill the tetanus bacteria. You'll need TIG even if you're fully vaccinated against tetanus. Page last reviewed: 5 December Next review due: 5 December Tetanus can be very dangerous and, in severe cases, can cause death.

The best prevention tip is to have a tetanus shot. The Td booster is given every ten years, but it only will protect against tetanus and diphtheria. To decide if you need a tetanus shot, first decide if the object that caused the wound was clean or dirty.

If an object is dirty, it will have dirt, soil, spit, or feces on it. You did not get the first series of tetanus shots primary vaccination series. Ideally, the TdaP vaccine should be given initially in several doses: two, four, and six months after birth.

Another dose should be given when the baby is between 15 — 18 months old, 4 — 6 years old, and at 11 — 12 years of age. Tetanus bacteria can survive for a long time outside the body and are commonly found in soil and the manure of animals such as horses and cows. If the bacteria enter the body through a wound they can quickly multiply and release a toxin that affects the nerves, causing symptoms such as muscle stiffness and spasms.

The symptoms of tetanus usually start around 4 to 21 days after infection. On average, they start after around 10 days. Contact a GP or visit your nearest minor injuries unit if you're concerned about a wound, particularly if:. 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.