First aid for tetanus

Tetanus is an illness caused by a toxin from bacteria that can enter through damaged skin, especially a deep, dirty, puncture, burn, or crush wound. Early symptoms can include jaw stiffness, difficulty swallowing, painful muscle tightening, and spasms. Tetanus does not spread from person to person, and a wound may look minor even when protection is incomplete.

Wash your hands, then rinse the wound under clean running water and gently remove visible dirt. Apply firm pressure with clean gauze if it is bleeding, and cover it with a clean dressing. Do not close a deep or dirty wound yourself, pour harsh chemicals into it, or rely on an old vaccination record without checking it. Tell a clinician when and how the injury happened, whether soil or saliva entered it, and when your last tetanus dose was given. A clinician can decide whether a booster or additional protection is needed.

Seek urgent medical care for jaw tightness, trouble swallowing, painful spasms, breathing difficulty, or repeated muscle tightening. Have a wound assessed promptly if it is deep, punctured, heavily contaminated, caused by a bite, or has embedded material. Emergency help is needed for breathing problems, a seizure, collapse, or rapidly worsening spasms. Do not wait for symptoms after a high-risk wound; Tetanus Vaccination is a key preventive measure.

Ask whether your wound needs closure, antibiotics, a booster, or other protection, and how to recognise infection while it heals.