Side effects and complications after vaccination against tetanus

A tetanus shot is a simple and reliable way to protect yourself from this deadly disease. But as with any drugs, it can cause unpleasant side effects and even complications.

It is important to distinguish between them and know what kind of reaction is normal and when to seek medical attention.

How dangerous is tetanus shot?

In the Internet you can find hundreds of stories and complaints about vaccinations – a sore arm or leg, aching head, fever, after the injection has left a lump…

And many perceive them as signs of a bad vaccine, I think it is wrong made a shot, or do I want to abandon all further vaccinations, not to expose yourself or your baby in danger.

Actually, the complications, especially bearing even a potential threat to health and life, are greatly exaggerated. Anaphylactic shock, severe inflammation, General illness occur in isolated cases.

According to statistics, even minor side effects are not all, about 30% of cases. The vast majority of children and adults they pass in a few days.

Why could hurt a tetanus shot?

By itself, the tetanus vaccine is well tolerated and rarely produces side effects.

The difficulty lies in other components of the vaccine. To develop immunity, toxoid should be absorbed into the bloodstream very slowly, in small portions throughout the month. Therefore, the vaccine composition includes aluminum hydroxide. This connection allows to keep the vaccine exactly where the shot was given. Aluminum hydroxide is safe for the body, but can cause local inflammation.

The second reason is possible complications that a tetanus shot is part of a comprehensive vaccine DTP. It make children up to 5 years. Toxoids diphtheria and tetanus rarely cause a negative reaction, but protivoluchevye component contains live, although immobilized bacteria. It is because of him often appear complications such as fever, General deterioration of health, weakness, headache and so on.

There's a third reason – error in the conduct of the vaccine. If a shot is made not correctly or for some other reason, the portion of the drug gets into the subcutaneous tissue and not muscle, in this place, the inflammatory response develops, there is pain, there may be a lump, swelling or redness. This reaction does not pose a threat to health, the inflammation goes away by itself, when the vaccine is completely absorbed. Usually it takes a few days.

Also side effects after a tetanus shot may appear, if you have violated the rules of storage and transportation. It is therefore important to ensure that the injection vaccine was made from a fresh vial, which was taken out of the fridge.

What are the side effects

Local inflammation

For the standard tetanus shot (TDAP or TD) the probability of occurrence of side effects is about 30%. This number may seem too high but actually it is not about the quality of the vaccine or the injection is made properly. Such a number of side effects – a normal reaction of the active immune system to the introduction of the stimulus. Often manifested these reactions:

• Pain at the injection site. She can give in the arm, under the shoulder blade.
• Lump formation or seal (diameter up to 5 cm).
• Redness, swelling (diameter up to 8 cm).
• Headache, weakness, fatigue, malaise, loss of appetite, muscle pain.
• Indigestion, diarrhea, nausea.
• In children, crying, anxiety, poor sleep, refusal to eat.
• Increasing the temperature to 38.5 degrees.

How long they will last depends on many factors: the person's age, state of health at the time of vaccination, body condition, and so on. They may appear1-2 days and usually pass within 2-3 days.

Possible complications after vaccination

At the same time, sometimes the reaction to the shot too strong. You should pay attention to such manifestations:

• The place where the shot was given hurts more than 5-7 days.
• The temperature rose above 39 degrees.
• Prolonged crying in children.
• Bronchitis, laryngitis.
• The redness of more than 8 cm in diameter, the lump more than 5.

But still, it is important to know what to do after the vaccination. It is desirable to have the number of a doctor whom you can call to consult in case of complications.

Preparing for vaccination

The likelihood of complications after vaccination can be reduced if correctly to prepare for it:

• Before vaccination it is advisable to undergo minimal inspection: inspection at the therapist or consultant, the General analysis of blood, urine.
• 2-3 days before vaccinations, you can start taking antihistamines. Dosage – standard support.
• Contraindications to vaccination against tetanus for a bit, but better to do it the day of well-being. Colds, runny nose is a reason to postpone it for a few days to normalize health.
• On the day of vaccination is better not to abuse heavy food.

First and foremost, proper preparation for children. In addition to these recommendations when visiting the clinic should bring the person who could to take place while a mother and her child walking down the street. To be in a hot stuffy room, surrounded by potentially sick people is not the best idea. Overheating, over-stimulation, viral infections are a frequent problem after visiting vaccination clinics.

After vaccination

There are also a number of recommendations of what to do after the vaccination:

• After an injection has been made, doctors advise to spend some time in the clinic to ensure that no severe allergic reaction. These do not have half an hour to be in the building, it is better to walk around.
• 2-3 days after vaccination you can continue to drink antihistamines.
• Children is recommended immediately after returning home to give antipyretic. You should not expect the increase to 38.5 degrees, as is recommended usually. In this case, it is sufficient uptrend or even prophylactic doses. The formation of the immune system it has no effect.
• If a very sore injection site, you can lubricate it absorbable ointment or bandage.
• If the pain is severe, the adults can enjoy non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent.
• In this and the following 1-2 better to drink and eat on the appetite, preferably light, easily digestible foods and products.

These simple best practices to reduce the likelihood of side effects and is easier to carry.

What not to do after vaccination?

To the tetanus shot did not leave unpleasant consequences and severe pain from inflammation, there are a number of recommendations:

• Adults 5-7 days you can not drink alcohol. After this period – is undesirable.
• 3-5 days is not worth a visit saunas, baths, baths with salt and oils.
• For 3-5 days you should not exercise.

Young children after vaccination you can walk, if they feel good.

Contraindications to vaccination

As with any drug, tetanus vaccine has a number of contraindications. Conditionally they can be divided into absolute and relative.

The list of relative contraindications is much wider:

• Any acute illness and exacerbation of chronic. It is impossible to be vaccinated at an elevated temperature.
• Low weight infants. For children born before the term vaccination be deferred until the normalization of condition.
• The recovery period after serious illnesses, and transferred chemotherapy, radiation, immunosuppressive therapy.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding.

In such cases, doctors often give a medical exemption for some time.

If the child's last vaccination caused severe prolonged pain or other acute side effects, more aggressive DPT vaccine can replace the ADB, which better tolerated or other lightweight of the vaccine.

One of the problems faced by many parents is a frequent medical exemptions where they are not needed. A neuralgic condition and allergic reactions in babies not actually increase the risk of developingcomplications, but because their child may be left without protection against these dangerous diseases, so one hundred to delay the vaccination for too long a period is not necessary.

Hope we answered your question, why it hurts tetanus shot and how long could such a state, and how to avoid complications.