Monitoringclub.org – Tetanus is one of the infections that manifests in the form of the jaw and neck muscle spasms that are painful and require tetanus injection vaccination [1].
Tetanus injections are known to help prevent tetanus from occurring, even tetanus injections are considered to be able to prevent transmission of other bacterial infections such as diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
Side Effects of Tetanus Shots
General side effects of tetanus shot
Tetanus injections, which are considered useful in preventing tetanus, have certain side effects. The following are some of the side effects that can generally occur after a Tetanus Injection:
- Joints Feel Sore And Body Cold
Someone may experience joint pain or cold all over his body after doing a Tetanus Injection.
Joints that feel sore or have a cold body can occur as a side effects of Tetanus shot in at least one out of every ten people who have Tetanus Injections.
However, side effects in the form of joint pain or body chills are generally mild, so they will not interfere too much with a person’s ability to carry out their daily activities.
The side effects of Tetanus shot in the form of joint pain and chills may subside with the help of OTC drugs.
- Body Fatigue
Body fatique is one of General side effects of tetanus shot. Someone who does a Tetanus Injection, their body may feel tired or tired. As with vaccines in general, after having a Tetanus Injection the body will start accumulating energy to build immunity.
The side effect of fatigue is the body’s response in building the immune system.
According to data, one out of four people who do Tetanus injections will generally experience side effects in the form of fatigue. This fatigue may only require adequate rest so that the body’s condition will improve later.
- Feeling Pain in the Injection Area
As with other injections, after having a tetanus injection, a person will generally feel pain at the injection site. The pain is mild and will start to subside in the next few days.
This side effect is experienced by at least eight out of ten people who do Tetanus Injections. In other words, pain at the injection site is the most common side effects of Tetanus Shot.
- Headache
Headache is one of General side effects of tetanus shot. After having a Tetanus Injection, a person may also experience side effects in the form of a sore head. However, this headache is only mild and not a serious thing.
Certain medications may be able to help relieve headache symptoms.
- The skin at the injection area becomes red or swollen
While some people will experience pain at the injection site, others may also experience redness or swelling of their skin.
This can happen to people who have a slightly more intense reaction to the injection. According to data, there is at least one in four people who do Tetanus injections experience side effects of redness or swelling of the skin.
If you feel that the skin redness or swelling is disturbing, then medicines such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) might help relieve it.
- Mild fever
Mild fever is one of general side effects of tetanus shot. Tetanus injections may also cause side effects in the form of a mild fever. This fever is a sign that the body is responding to the incoming tetanus vaccine.
This fever will generally subside by itself. However, if needed, over-the-counter fever medicines may help relieve symptoms.
Although less common than other common side effects, some people may experience a low-grade fever in response to the tetanus vaccine. The fever will subside without intervention, but, again, over-the-counter medications can help relieve symptoms.
Moderate side effects of tetanus shot
Tetanus injections are also known to cause side effects that can interfere with a person’s daily activities. However, because it does not require medical treatment, the following side effects are categorized as moderate side effects:
- Fever for several days
Someone who does a Tetanus Injection may also have a reaction in the form of a fever for several days. Although a fever for several days is rare.
If a person experiences the side effects of fever for several days, his body may also feel unwell, so that his daily activities will certainly be disrupted as well.
However, after a few days, the fever will subside even without medical treatment. Keeping the body hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids will greatly aid recovery.
In addition, the body also needs adequate rest so that recovery can be faster. It should also be noted that, in the following conditions, a person should see a doctor:
- The fever continues after a few days have passed
- There are additional symptoms in the form of dehydration symptoms.
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea may also be a side effect after having a tetanus injection, especially the Tdap vaccine.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can interfere with a person’s daily activities. Therefore, the following measures may help relieve the symptoms:
- Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
- Enough rest
- Foods that are bland or that will not worsen the condition of the digestive system
As time goes by, the symptoms in the form of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea will gradually subside, even without special medical action.
- Skin Rash Or Swollen Glands
Skin rash or swollen glands is one of moderate side effects of tetanus shot. A person’s skin after having a Tetanus Injection may experience a rash. This is known as a form of body response, in which the gland swells after the injection. However, side effects in the form of a rash or swelling of these glands tend to go away on their own.
- Swollen Arms
Swelling of the arm that was the target of the injection may be more extensive in some people. In fact, one in 500 people is known to experience swelling all over their arms after having a tetanus shot.
Even though swelling occurs throughout the arm area, this does not require serious medical treatment.
Severe Tetanus Shot Side Effects
Tetanus injections may also cause side effects that are categorized as severe, because they interfere with daily activities and require medical treatment.
Some of the severe side effects of the Tetanus shot may include:
- Swelling, Severe Pain, Redness, Or Bleeding
Side effects in the form of severe swelling, pain, redness or bleeding on the skin may occur after someone has had a Tetanus Injection.
In rare cases, the skin at the injection site may crack and bleed as a response to the Tetanus Injection. Unlike the previous side effects, if this happens then medical treatment is needed.
- Severe allergic reactions
Severe allergic is one of severe side effects of tetanus shot. Severe allergic reactions may be shown by people who have had a Tetanus Injection. However, cases like this are considered very rare. The symptoms that may occur include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Itchy throat, feet or hands
- Itching in other areas
- Swelling of the face, eyes or airways
- Severe fatigue that occurs suddenly
- Heart rate becomes faster
These symptoms can generally begin to occur within a few minutes to several hours after a person has had a tetanus shot.
If these symptoms of a severe allergic reaction occur, then a person really needs medical treatment as soon as possible.
Does the Tetanus Shot Cause Autism?
As explained above, of all the side effects of Tetanus shot mentioned none of them mention autism. This means that the Tetanus Injection does not cause autism.
Many people think the Tetanus Shot causes autism, perhaps because of misinformation circulating among the wider community.
Until now, medical researchers have found no evidence that vaccines such as the Tetanus Shot are associated with serious disorders. And monitoring of the vaccine is still being carried out until now.
This monitoring will of course be very useful for medical authorities to take steps to deal with it if it is needed.
Types of Tetanus Shots Available
Tetanus injection is known to have four types, among others:
DTaP
DTaP is a type of Tetanus Injection given to infants and young children. In addition to the tetanus vaccine, this DTap can also protect babies and young children from diphtheria and pertussis or whooping cough.
DT
For infants and young children who cannot or are not allowed to receive the whooping cough vaccine, DT is the type of Tetanus Injection that may be recommended. This DT can protect infants and young children from diphtheria and tetanus.
TDAP
Types of Tetanus Injections for older children to older persons, one of which is Tdap. The function of this type of Tetanus Tdap Injection is to protect against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis or whooping cough.
TD
TD is a type of tetanus injection, which is classified as a booster to protect older children and older persons from diphtheria and tetanus.
It should also be noted that Tetanus injections can be done in the deltoid muscle area. For children, Tetanus injections are generally done in the arm or thigh area.
For children, the administration of DTaP or DT Tetanus Injections will be carried out in stages as follows:
- At 2 months of age (1 dose)
- At 4 months of age (1 dose)
- At 6 months of age (1 dose)
- At the age of 15 months-18 months (1 dose)
- At the age of 4-6 years (1 dose)
As for the TdaP type Tetanus Injection, it will generally be given to children aged 11 to 12 years. In addition, a TD booster vaccine may also be given every 10 years.
Tetanus injections of the Tdap type with additional doses may be recommended for pregnant women in the third trimester of each pregnancy. This is done so that the baby is protected until the baby is old enough to receive his own Tetanus Injection..
Who Cannot Have a Tetanus Shot?
Someone who has the following factors should not get the Tdap type Tetanus Injection:
- Severe allergic reaction after receiving Tetanus Tdap Injection before
- History of coma or seizures within a week of receiving the previous Tetanus Tdap Injection
- History of epilepsy, neurological disorders, severe pain or swelling after receiving previous Tetanus Shots
- History of Guillain-Barre or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
- History of moderate to severe acute illness
- Crystal Bae & Daniele Bourget. Tetanus. National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health; 2021.
