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Are Stiffness In The Back, Neck An Legs Along With Tenderness In The Jaw Serious Concerns After Obtaining A Small Bleeding Wound While Playing With My Dog?
Question: Hi Doc!
I dont know how muchg you know about these things - but I like your answers. So I try.
12 days ago I got a little prick in the finger while playing with my dog. It bled maybe a couple drops. I immediately thought of tetanus So I cleaned it with water, and desinfection cream - and then put a bandaid on it.
I cant seem to shake the thought of getting tetanus. And thats because I feel I got symptoms. Such as I do have a stiff back, neck and also my legs (calfs and front thigh muscles ) are sore and stiff. This may be coincidence because of physiical things like playing football with my nephew a day ago and working in garden etc but....
I also felt "tenderness in jaw" the next day.
I did see a doctor three times since this occured, and they all said no. I dont have it. However. I know its hard to catch. I know there is no tests for it.
I have followed our vaccine program, but that just includes shots when I was a child - so more than ten yrs ago.
And i did not take one now either.
Am I staring in to the most painful death ever, or is there a way of treating this without dying. And - is there any suggestions from you. Should i go to hospital to have some tests done?
I dont know how muchg you know about these things - but I like your answers. So I try.
12 days ago I got a little prick in the finger while playing with my dog. It bled maybe a couple drops. I immediately thought of tetanus So I cleaned it with water, and desinfection cream - and then put a bandaid on it.
I cant seem to shake the thought of getting tetanus. And thats because I feel I got symptoms. Such as I do have a stiff back, neck and also my legs (calfs and front thigh muscles ) are sore and stiff. This may be coincidence because of physiical things like playing football with my nephew a day ago and working in garden etc but....
I also felt "tenderness in jaw" the next day.
I did see a doctor three times since this occured, and they all said no. I dont have it. However. I know its hard to catch. I know there is no tests for it.
I have followed our vaccine program, but that just includes shots when I was a child - so more than ten yrs ago.
And i did not take one now either.
Am I staring in to the most painful death ever, or is there a way of treating this without dying. And - is there any suggestions from you. Should i go to hospital to have some tests done?
Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I passed carefully through your question and would explain that your symptoms do not seem to be related to tetanus infection.
You should know that the incubation period (period from the time of infection to the development of the symptoms) is more than a couple of weeks for this infection.
So, you can not have symptoms in the first two weeks.
Besides, this is a very serious condition, associated to troubles with breathing, muscular pain and fever.
The situation worsens progressively, and considerinf your non specific symptoms, I agree with your doctor that some tender muscles are not Tetanus.
So, try to relax and don't worry about it!
I would just recommend performing some blood lab tests, just to be sure that everything is OK:
- complete blood count
- PCR, ESR for inflammation
- CPK levels (to evaluate the muscular stiffness).
Repeating the immunization (tetanus antitoxin) may help calm your anxiety too, and reinforce your immune response.
In the meantime, I would recommend using Xanax for some days (because it can help against the muscular tenderness too).
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
I remain at your disposal for any further questions whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I passed carefully through your question and would explain that your symptoms do not seem to be related to tetanus infection.
You should know that the incubation period (period from the time of infection to the development of the symptoms) is more than a couple of weeks for this infection.
So, you can not have symptoms in the first two weeks.
Besides, this is a very serious condition, associated to troubles with breathing, muscular pain and fever.
The situation worsens progressively, and considerinf your non specific symptoms, I agree with your doctor that some tender muscles are not Tetanus.
So, try to relax and don't worry about it!
I would just recommend performing some blood lab tests, just to be sure that everything is OK:
- complete blood count
- PCR, ESR for inflammation
- CPK levels (to evaluate the muscular stiffness).
Repeating the immunization (tetanus antitoxin) may help calm your anxiety too, and reinforce your immune response.
In the meantime, I would recommend using Xanax for some days (because it can help against the muscular tenderness too).
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
I remain at your disposal for any further questions whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks again for good answer.
I see. But then you read these things about how it can vary from 3 to 40 days before symptromatic....And on top of that, I cant seem to find expelantion for these muscle twitches and or stiffness - althought they are (twitches) very small, same type you sometimes get in eyelids - but in uscles here and there. Perhaps my brain is forcing those out to manifest themselves because of the fear of having tetanus. I dont know. But nice tio hear it from you that the probablility is small.
I guess if I got it, it would be a permanent thing, and not just weird jaw for some time and then goes away to come back later?
I see. But then you read these things about how it can vary from 3 to 40 days before symptromatic....And on top of that, I cant seem to find expelantion for these muscle twitches and or stiffness - althought they are (twitches) very small, same type you sometimes get in eyelids - but in uscles here and there. Perhaps my brain is forcing those out to manifest themselves because of the fear of having tetanus. I dont know. But nice tio hear it from you that the probablility is small.
I guess if I got it, it would be a permanent thing, and not just weird jaw for some time and then goes away to come back later?
Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I understand your concern and would explain that anxiety can trigger all these muscle twitching.
From the other hand, vitamin D deficiency, an electrolyte imbalance or thyroid gland dysfunction, can trigger this clinical situation too.
For this reason, I would recommend you to perform the above mentioned lab tests and some other tests:
- blood electrolytes
- thyroid hormone levels
- vitamin D levels.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above tests.
In the meantime, I would recommend having some rest, avoid caffeine intake and take plenty of fluids.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask me again!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I understand your concern and would explain that anxiety can trigger all these muscle twitching.
From the other hand, vitamin D deficiency, an electrolyte imbalance or thyroid gland dysfunction, can trigger this clinical situation too.
For this reason, I would recommend you to perform the above mentioned lab tests and some other tests:
- blood electrolytes
- thyroid hormone levels
- vitamin D levels.
You should discuss with your doctor on the above tests.
In the meantime, I would recommend having some rest, avoid caffeine intake and take plenty of fluids.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask me again!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I will, doc. Thanx. I will see a doctor tonight at 2100. I have taken some tests, among them a test to see if I still have traces of the earlier vaccines apparently. I, of course, am 100 percent sure that I have contracted this aweful desease, as my calfes are still tender and striff, and i got cramps intermittently at the back of my knee, and sometimes musclespasms in the chestmuscle, lower arms and legs.
And in addition (i dont know if this is something I have actually had before, because I do have some larang-something troublde with my throat because of silent reflux) I experience some vocal cord suden problem like they are closing up for a milisecond - i feel like something stucfk there for just a milisecond.
Panicing is probably not helping either. But sounds weird i know, because I got symptoms early, and then I should be in big trouble by now I gues, and I dont have a locked up jaw which I assume is the main symptom. But the rest is very similar.
And in addition (i dont know if this is something I have actually had before, because I do have some larang-something troublde with my throat because of silent reflux) I experience some vocal cord suden problem like they are closing up for a milisecond - i feel like something stucfk there for just a milisecond.
Panicing is probably not helping either. But sounds weird i know, because I got symptoms early, and then I should be in big trouble by now I gues, and I dont have a locked up jaw which I assume is the main symptom. But the rest is very similar.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Another clue to the diagnosis of Tetanus is the fact that the symptoms are triggered by the sound or light.
Does this happen to you!
Does resting in darkness, help improve your situation?
This is a very serious condition, and considering your non-specific symptoms, I don't think that you are affected.
Besides, there is no progression of the symptoms.
Anyway, another dose of immunization or anti-toxin is necessary considering the long time after the last dose.
I remain at your disposal for any further questions!
Let me know about everything!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Another clue to the diagnosis of Tetanus is the fact that the symptoms are triggered by the sound or light.
Does this happen to you!
Does resting in darkness, help improve your situation?
This is a very serious condition, and considering your non-specific symptoms, I don't think that you are affected.
Besides, there is no progression of the symptoms.
Anyway, another dose of immunization or anti-toxin is necessary considering the long time after the last dose.
I remain at your disposal for any further questions!
Let me know about everything!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
No, I dont feel resting improves anything. And I cant say I have been affected by sounds or lights either!
But, I wonder if I am to early in my stages to get that yet. :(
I will ask for a dose of immunisation.
Thank you very much for the quick response as always dear sir.
But, I wonder if I am to early in my stages to get that yet. :(
I will ask for a dose of immunisation.
Thank you very much for the quick response as always dear sir.
Brief Answer:
You are welcome!
Detailed Answer:
I am glad to have been helpful to you!
Anyway, I still insist that your symptoms are not typical of Tetanus.
Tetanus is a much more dramatic clinical situation.
But, I agree with you that it is better to make some tests and immunisation in order to be sure that everything is OK.
If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask me again!
Wishing all the best,
Dr.Iliri
You are welcome!
Detailed Answer:
I am glad to have been helpful to you!
Anyway, I still insist that your symptoms are not typical of Tetanus.
Tetanus is a much more dramatic clinical situation.
But, I agree with you that it is better to make some tests and immunisation in order to be sure that everything is OK.
If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask me again!
Wishing all the best,
Dr.Iliri
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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