Tetanus, caused by Clostridium tetani, causes progressive muscle stiffness, painful spasms, and difficulty breathing. Lockjaw is a common symptom, but can also be caused by other conditions. Vaccination is the best prevention, with booster shots needed every ten years.
Tetanus and lockjaw are related because they both describe the same disease. Tetanus originates from the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which frequently enters the body through cuts, improper care of the umbilical cord or puncture wounds. The result is a progressive disease that causes muscles in the face, then the rest of the body, to stiffen.
During a tetanus disease, patients may experience painful muscle spasms called tetany. They may also experience great difficulty breathing as most of the muscles and joints are now restricted by their tight contraction. High fever and death can also result in those treated.
Lockjaw can be used interchangeably with tetanus to describe the disease, or it can refer to a particular symptom of the disease. Most commonly in tetanus, stiffening of the muscles leads to the inability to use the jaw to chew or swallow. This may have been noticed earlier in horses because they are also vulnerable to the disease. Horses with lockjaw could not eat, thus hastening their demise.
Humans with lockjaw caused by tetanus have other feeding options, such as nasogastric tubes or intravenous nutrition, so starvation is rarely the cause of death in treated tetanus. However, jaw locking and resisting movement is the most common symptom associated with tetanus, hence the alternate name.
Lockjaw can also be a symptom of conditions other than tetanus. For example, a jaw injury can produce the locked and stiffened state. Those who struggle with their temporomandibular joint (TMJ) may also find that their jaw occasionally locks, making it difficult to open or close the mouth. However, usually the term applies directly to tetanus.
Tetanus is preventable through vaccination. In developed countries, babies receive their first tetanus shot a few weeks after birth. Then they receive several booster vaccinations in childhood. Developing countries cannot always afford to vaccinate, and one of the leading causes of death from tetanus in developing countries is umbilical cord stump infection, which has a 60% death rate when contracting tetanus.
Adults and adolescents who sustain a deep cut or puncture wound are routinely revaccinated for tetanus, as vaccination can prevent the disease even after receiving a cut or wound. However, vaccinations must be repeated every ten years to preserve immunity.
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