Tetanus Prevention!

Hello All!

One of my favorite things to do is hike and be outdoors. Because of this, it was really important for me to get my tetanus vaccine. Tetanus is an infection caused by the bacteria Clostridium Tetani. According to the CDC, it is uncommon but very serious so getting a vaccination is highly recommended. It is caused by spores of bacteria in the environment especially metal but also dirt. There are several vaccinations and some of them protect against other diseases as well

There are various symptoms to tetanus. It is commonly known to cause lockjaw. This is a painful tightening of the muscles in the jaw making it hard to breathe and swallow. It can cause stiff muscles, seizures, headache, and sweating. It is not contagious, meaning another human cannot deliver this disease. It is caused by infection in a deep wound like if you were to step on a nail. Minor abrasions to the skin will not cause you to have tetanus because it is an anaerobic bacteria, meaning it cannot infect when oxygen is present. 

Although it is not common to be infected, it is very important to consider getting this vaccination. The benefits highly outweigh the cons when getting the vaccine. I had an accident in the past where I could have gotten tetanus due to a deep wound. I was running down a mountain (I was in Cross Country in High school) when I tripped on a rock and gashed my knee. It was very deep and filled with dirt. An accident like that could have caused me to become seriously ill, but I thankfully had that protection and you should too!!