Why does lockjaw happen

How is tetanus spread? Where is the tetanus bacteria found? What are the symptoms of tetanus? How soon after infection do symptoms occur? What are the complications associated with tetanus? What is the treatment for tetanus? If the disease develops, supportive care and therapy to control severe spasms are indicated. Does past infection with tetanus make a person immune? Is there a vaccine for tetanus?

What can be done to prevent the spread of tetanus? Being fully immunized is the best tool to prevent tetanus. Revised: February Your browser does not support iFrames. It can be a seriously distressing and painful condition in which even swallowing becomes a problem.

What makes it even more difficult is the limitation to examine or diagnose the oral cavity as opening the mouth is limited or absolutely impossible at times. Lockjaw can occur due to various reasons.

Though the problem itself is not harmful, it indicates a possibility of some other serious ailments, illnesses or health issues. These include:. Lockjaw is a very disturbing and painful condition. It is crucial that this condition not be dismissed as a minor issue, as it can actually indicate a serious internal illness. Hence, a proper diagnosis is a must and the treatment will always focus on curing the cause of the condition, so that the lockjaw disorder automatically subsides.

If the underlying cause is tetanus, treatment must be exacted for that. Sometimes, dental problems and other oral diseases and illnesses lead to lockjaw. In that case, treatment should follow those illnesses. However, along with treating the underlying condition, it is a must that you take care of the painful condition of lockjaw itself.

There are simple natural treatments and home remedies that can be quite useful. Apart from these useful methods, there are certain home remedies like applying hot garlic and mustard oil on the lockjaw and drinking herbal tea with chamomile, kava, passion flower and feverfew help in reducing the pain in lockjaw and release the locked muscles. However, before accessing these home remedies, seeing a doctor is a must as diagnosis of the root cause is crucial for lockjaw.

Otherwise, the possible underlying disease may never subside. Do you have any questions about lockjaw? Call Westermeier Martin Dental care to schedule an appointment with your dentist What is Lockjaw? In severe cases, tetanus infections can lead to death by suffocation. Common initial symptoms of tetanus are a headache and muscular stiffness in the jaw lockjaw followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty swallowing, hardening of abdominal muscles, spasms, sweating, and fever.

Symptoms usually begin around eight days following infection, but onset may range from three days to three weeks. Vaccination is the best way to prevent tetanus.

Most people receive their first dose as infants in the form of a combined vaccine called DTaP diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis. Health officials now recommend that adults and adolescents receive a Tdap tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis or Td tetanus-diphtheria booster vaccine every 10 years.

Immediate, good wound care is important. People with tetanus require prompt treatment that may include tetanus immune globulin, drugs to control spasms, antibiotics, and supportive care.