Symptoms of Tetanus

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Sometimes, the first and only sign of tetanus is a spasm of the muscles nearest to the infected wound. However, once the tetanospasmin toxin gets into the bloodstream, other symptoms start, usually in the face. The most common early sign is a spasm of the chewing muscles (trismus) which makes it very hard to open the mouth (hence the common name of â€˜lockjawâ€™).

As the infection progresses, spasms occur in the throat muscles, making it difficult to swallow. This can be followed by spasms in the facial muscles which can make it seem like the personâ€™s face has a sardonic grin. This is sometimes known by its medical name risus sardonicus.

The spasms may spread to other muscles: to the neck making the head tilt; to the chest, making breathing difficult; to the stomach wall and to arms and legs. If the spasms spread to the back muscles, the spine may become strongly arched backwards. This is known as opisthotonus and is most common in children with the infection.

Other symptoms include extreme sensitivity to touch, high fever, sore throat, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, headache, bleeding into the bowels, and diarrhoea.

The direct cause of death may be blood poisoning, suffocation (asphyxia) in the course of a muscle contraction, the heart stopping (cardiac arrest), kidney failure or exhaustion. If left untreated, death occurs in around 60% of cases.