View Full Version : Tetanus Shots
SassyWindsor
10-02-2010, 23:24
These shots or good for 7-10 years. I recommend that everyone get the shot from their health dept or their personal physician.
Back in the spring I remembered a thru-hiker that got a nasty gash on his hand from a rusty can. I helped him bandage his hand and asked him if he had gotten a shot before he started his trip. NO, didn't know I needed one and kinda don't know what the shot is for. I told him to call the health dept in Hiawassee or Clayton, GA and get one ASAP.
I thought about posting this while on another thread talking about rabies.
SassyWindsor
10-02-2010, 23:27
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus
I forgot to post this link.
Tetanus is a nasty thing to get.
Panzer
Trailweaver
10-03-2010, 02:53
I used to work in the Emergency Room. I have seen three people in the early stages of Tetnus development. It is very serious, and it certainly made a believer of me.
Typically they present a week to ten days after a cut or puncture wound that was outside. They come in to the ER with the symptom of weakness/tiredness but the most noticable symptom is that they cannot swallow - not even their own saliva! They are (of course) unable to drink or eat, and that is what makes them come in for help.
One man, somewhere in his 60's, had an obvious cut (a week old) on the top of his hand that he got "out at the barn." He had never had a tetnus shot in his life. Never crossed his mind. He came in because he couldn't swallow, and thought he'd had a small stroke. No. . . it was tetnus.
Treatment is expensive and pretty awful, not always successful, and a whole lot more expensive than a tetnus shot.
Get that shot before you head out, and if you don't, and get hurt on the trail, get off and get one ASAP.
If I may piggyback another thing to do before you head out:
Go to the dentist, get a cleaning and see if you need any dental work done.
I got a Tetanus shot back in the mid-80's...turned out to be an "infected" batch of serum....bacteria started attacking my long thorasic (sp) nerve...mind numbing pain for about a week...then lost the use of my right arm (I'm right handed)...took almost 6 months for the Doctors to figure out what happened....couldn't use my right arm for almost a year...then had to use my left arm to hold up my right...now almost 25 years later I still don't have complete strength in my right arm...but enough to get me up and down the Trail!.....you just never know....cheers.
And in other news, people should stop smoking, stop eating fatty foods, exercise and don't do drugs. :rolleyes::D
I got a Tetanus shot about 10 months ago. I was in Utah and I got a nasty puncture wound from a broken bottle on my knee. When I went to the hospital the doctor asked how long its been since I got my last tetanus shot and while I was trying to figure it out he said, "today". Its suppose to be a horrible thing to get. Real bad.
And in other news, people should stop smoking, stop eating fatty foods, exercise and don't do drugs. :rolleyes::D
I bet you're a drinker. You didn't say anything about drinking.
I bet you're a drinker. You didn't say anything about drinking.Not anymore. :banana
And in other news, people should stop smoking, stop eating fatty foods, exercise and don't do drugs. :rolleyes::D
Haha. :)
Getting a tetanus shot and going to the dentist isn't on a lot of peoples radar when they're preparing for a long hike. Not saying that's true for everyone, but then again we dish out all kinds of commonsense advise ad nauseum here on WB regularly. At least tetanus shots and going to the dentist isn't started as a new thread with the same question every other day.
warraghiyagey
10-04-2010, 08:18
And in other news, people should stop smoking, stop eating fatty foods, exercise and don't do drugs. :rolleyes::D
Dang it!! . . . :mad:
Not anymore. :banana
Quitter . . .
4eyedbuzzard
10-04-2010, 09:05
And in other news, people should stop smoking, stop eating fatty foods, exercise and don't do drugs. :rolleyes::D
Just taking all the fun out of life aren't you.:rolleyes::D
Majortrauma
10-04-2010, 09:15
Rusty nails etc are not the cause of tetanus, it just provides a suitable host and method of delivery. If one cleans the wound quickly and carefully it's not likely you will actually develop tetanus symptoms.
People need not panic, dash off the trail and rush to the nearest ER just because they were scraped by a rusty nail.
And no, I'm not a Dr. but I have slept in a Holiday Inn Express recently.
As a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, I saw my 23-year-old neighbor go from healthy to dead in roughly 3 days. She contracted tetanus through a tiny nick while scaling fish. Since then, I've gotten a tetanus shot every 10 years. I'd advise anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors to do likewise.
Doc Mike
10-13-2010, 16:02
Just a quick note on this. Your tetanus shot shot be every 10 years if nothing happens. If its been more than 5 years and you get a "dirty" cut it is recommended to get a booster.
That being said people should make sure that the last Tetanus is within 5 years of when they plan on going.
Doc Mike