Tetanus shot side effects

Tetanus shots and their importance

The reason why this vaccine is so important is related tothe fact that the bacteria that cause tetanus can use even the smallest wound orcrack in the skin to enter the body and infect it. Since tetanus is more thanserious condition, with more than serious symptoms and possible consequences,it is very important to protect from this possibility in time, and tetanusvaccine is the only way to do that. Despite the fact that it is more thaneffective, tetanus shot can cause certain side effects that can be ratherunpleasant. Some of them are more serious, some of them less, but the fact isthat people need to be acquainted with these possibilities before taking theshot, in order to react properly if any of them occur.

Possible side effects

When it comes to side effects that are possible with tetanusshots, it is important to point out the fact that they definitely might occur, butaccording to statistics, those that are very serious in nature are experiencedin less than 1% of the cases. All the unwanted effects of tetanus shots can beclassified into those that are mild, those that are moderate and those that aresevere. Some of the mildest are numbness, swelling and redness at the injectionspot, headache, nausea, low fever and pain in the muscles. However, thesesymptoms usually go away very soon, and unless they are persistent, none ofthem is a reason for concern. A bit more serious, so-called moderate sideeffects include diarrhea, vomiting dizziness and high fever, which can even behigher than 102 degree Fahrenheit. As for severe side effects of tetanus shots,besides severe allergic reactions, it is possible to experience swelling of thesweat glands located in the arm pits, seizures, brain damage, collapse and evencoma. Even though these side effects are really rarely present, it is importantto be aware of them.

As for the vaccine that the children get, it is not reallythe same as the one for adults. Diphtheria vaccine and pertussis vaccine areincluded in it as well, and the side effects of these vaccine are practicallythe same as those of tetanus vaccine. Still, what might be a typical problem inchildren after they receive this vaccine is decreased appetite, but it shouldnot last for more than a day or two.