Tetanus booster

OldMachinist

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Having worked in the machinist trade for over 40 years I've always kept my tetanus booster up to date and I have a appointment with the doctor this morning because it's time. This made wonder if the members here realize their need to have a tetanus booster at least every 10 years. Before I retired they used to make us get one every 7 years or anytime we had to seek medical treatment for severe cuts or punctures wounds.
 
Yeap, got my vaccination card to prove it!
 
I usually get my booster shot when I get an injury. Which works out to be before the 10 yrs are up. The last one was a few months ago. Lol... its been working out to about every 6 or 7 years.

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I usually get my booster shot when I get an injury. Which works out to be before the 10 yrs are up. The last one was a few months ago. Lol... its been working out to about every 6 or 7 years.

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That's how I was before I retired. Never seemed to fail as I got around 7 years since the last one I'd get sliced or poked. The last one I got in 2005 was when I was tearing down a old chicken house and stepped on a board. Rusty nail when all the way thru my boot and foot.
 
There's some different theories and approaches to this in the medical field and it's generally believed that after the first tetanus shot and 3 subsequent boosters at 7-10 year intervals, you're pretty-much set for life. On the other hand, continuing the boosters past the 3rd one has no known side effect. Medical practitioners have known this for years but what they don't know is if an individual had 3 boosters at 7-10 year intervals so, an additional booster is usually administered proactively/gratuitously...

Anyhow, I've had a whole bunch of boosters -more than I can count. When I cut my fingers last year, the ER asked if I got regular boosters, I said yes, and to my surprise, they didn't bother with another.

Anyhow, tetanus has little to do with rust or metal. The bacteria is everywhere and is rampant on most farms, zoos etc. To get infected, it has to enter the bloodstream directly and since punctures don't bleed like an open wound, stepping on nails (especially porus rusty ones) tend to be a common cause.

My father in law treated many cases of tetanus while practicing medicine in the rural south -usually happened on a farm and usually from a puncture wound...

FWIW, the next time I happen to be in the Dr's office, I'll probably have him hit me with a dose of booster.

Ray
 
A dozen of years ago a lady living here, then in her advanced 70, got tetanus from a wound made while working on flower pots.
She survived, anyway, and she is still jaywalking without to look around.
Probably she is the luckiest person I know…
 
Oh, one other thing about a tetanus booster shot. If you ever really need one, it's too late. The immunization takes longer to be effective vs the incubation period of the bacteria. When you're sitting in the clinic getting those stitches, they usually give a booster shot only because your current situation indicates a predisposition for future need and immunization coverage. The treatment for active tetanus is a whole different can of worms requiring infusions and other hormone therapy. Tetanus is right up there with rabies in terms of things you don't want to get infected with...


Ray
 
I usually get my booster shot when I get an injury. Which works out to be before the 10 yrs are up. The last one was a few months ago. Lol... its been working out to about every 6 or 7 years.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

Uh oh... What kind of a boo-boo did you get, Marcel?


Ray
 
Oh, one other thing about a tetanus booster shot. If you ever really need one, it's too late. The immunization takes longer to be effective vs the incubation period of the bacteria. When you're sitting in the clinic getting those stitches, they usually give a booster shot only because your current situation indicates a predisposition for future need and immunization coverage.


Ray

What you get in the ER is likely tetanus antitoxin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus#Post-exposure_prophylaxis
 
This thread reminded me to ask for a long overdue tetnis booster during my physical today. My arm feels like somebody gave be "two for flinching" right now, but I'm sure I'll appreciate it if I get stuck with something while in the shop.

Thanks!
Rick
 
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