How many days after a tetanus shot should you not drink alcohol?

Written by Xu Jun Hui
General Surgery
Updated on February 05, 2025
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Tetanus injections are divided into tetanus toxoid, which requires a skin test, and tetanus immunoglobulin, which does not require a skin test. It is advised not to drink alcohol before receiving a tetanus toxoid injection, as alcohol can cause dilation of the capillaries throughout the body, leading to flushed skin, which can affect the outcome of the skin test and result in false positive or false negative results, impacting treatment. Wounds requiring tetanus injections are generally either very deep, severely contaminated, or involve an open fracture, typically indicating a severe wound. It is advised not to consume alcohol during the wound healing period to avoid delaying recovery. Therefore, alcohol should be avoided for 24 hours before the tetanus shot and during the subsequent recovery period of the wound.

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Written by Liu Huan Huan
General Surgery
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How to rescue from tetanus allergy

In clinical settings, when administering tetanus injections, it is very easy for allergic reactions to occur, even severe complications like anaphylactic shock. In such cases, the following emergency measures can be taken: First, establish an intravenous access immediately, then start the patient on infusion therapy; Second, if the patient experiences a drop in blood pressure, vasopressor agents can be used for pressor therapy; Third, it's essential to provide the patient with cardiac monitoring, oxygenation, and other supportive treatments. In addition, it's crucial to use anti-allergy medications. There are many anti-allergic drugs available clinically, and the specific medication to be used should be decided based on the patient's specific condition. (Please administer medications under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Zhang Da Wei
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How long does a tetanus shot last?

Tetanus bacillus is relatively common in daily life. Once an infection of this kind occurs, or is suspected, a tetanus vaccine must be administered. The effectiveness of the tetanus vaccine lasts about a week. After this period, it no longer has any special therapeutic effects. This means that administering the vaccine during the onset of the disease can only temporarily help with prevention. If similar infections occur in the future, the vaccine should be administered again. Although the effective period of the tetanus vaccine is very short, as long as it is administered promptly when there is a risk, its safety is still relatively high and it can provide better prevention.

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Written by Gao Tian
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Tetanus needle skin test allergic symptoms

For tetanus shot skin allergy symptoms, they generally include redness, swelling, and itching of the skin. Severe cases can cause an increase in body temperature. Therefore, if an allergy occurs, caution is needed, and desensitization treatment may be necessary. It's important to rest normally. Tetanus vaccine is mainly a medication used to prevent tetanus infection. Thus, after an injury, it is necessary to get the shot. Also, take care to rest, avoid spicy and stimulating foods as well as those high in hormone levels, adjust your mindset, change dressings regularly, and have regular check-ups.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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Can tetanus be fatal?

Tetanus can be fatal if not treated promptly. When infected with tetanus, early symptoms primarily include dizziness, headache, fatigue, decreased appetite, weak chewing, and sore jaw muscles, some may also exhibit increased reflexes or muscle rigidity. As the condition worsens, some patients show typical tetanus symptoms such as lockjaw, difficulty opening the mouth, risus sardonicus, opisthotonos, and stiff neck. As the condition further deteriorates, it can lead to difficulty breathing, or even respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest. If not promptly rescued, the patient can die.

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Written by Zhang Da Wei
General Surgery
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How long does a tetanus shot last?

The duration of effectiveness for a tetanus shot depends on the specific type of injection used, as different injections vary in their duration of protection. Generally, the protection lasts about two to three days. In cases of infection, it is usually necessary to administer the vaccine within 24 hours. Under these circumstances, a period of about two to three days can be used to clean the wound, thereby achieving the best preventive effect. Additionally, there are other vaccines that are ten to twenty times more effective than this type of vaccine, with a typical prevention time ranging up to 15 days or even about a month. Of course, after receiving the tetanus vaccine, it is important to monitor for any allergic reactions, as different injections may vary in their degree of allergenicity, and individual reactions can differ based on personal health conditions.