Is it possible to get a tetanus shot wet: why you can’t wash it and after how many days you can swim

Tetanus is a dangerous disease that often leads to death. Characterized by damage to the nervous system and seizures. There are no effective medications for this pathology yet. The only way to protect yourself from the disease is vaccination.

Prevention for children begins at three months of age. Parents often wonder whether it is possible to wet a tetanus shot. This is a very important point on which the strength of the formed immunity and the development of complications depend.

Is it possible to wet a tetanus shot under the shoulder blade/on the shoulder?

For children under one and a half years old, the tetanus vaccine is injected into the outer surface of the thigh. Children over 6 years of age and adolescents are vaccinated in the shoulder area or under the shoulder blade. The doctor decides where to give the injection.

Many parents are interested in whether it is possible to wet the injection site. Doctors have differing opinions on this matter. Some experts recommend not getting the puncture wet and avoiding water procedures for the first time after the manipulation. Antitetanus solution is reactogenic.

Most often, the vaccine composition causes the following side effects:

temperature rise;
pastiness at the injection site;
cough;
runny nose;
disturbances in the functioning of the heart muscle;
increased salivation;
lack of appetite;
loss of consciousness;
inflammation of the bronchi;
suppuration in the area where the vaccine was administered;
upset stomach, intestines;
hives.

Doctors say that if you wet the injection area or swim, the likelihood of post-vaccination complications will increase. Some doctors claim that tap water has no effect on the effect of immunization. They believe that bathing, on the contrary, can alleviate the condition in the post-vaccination period.

Pain at the injection site and general malaise after vaccination can lead to sleep disturbances and irritability. Warm water helps relieve muscle spasms and complete relaxation. Whether it is worth carrying out water procedures is decided by a physician in each specific case. Therefore, after vaccination, it is better to ask your doctor about the possibility of taking a shower or bath.

If the doctor has allowed swimming, then you should follow these tips:

use warm water. It is important not to steam the injection area;
if there are drafts, it is better not to take a shower;
refuse bathing if you feel generally unwell, weak, have an elevated body temperature, or have signs of a cold;
during water procedures, do not rub the injection area with a towel or washcloth, or apply gel or soap to it;
It is advisable not to pour water on the puncture when taking a shower;
if the house is cold, then it is better to refuse swimming;
It is not recommended to take a bath with sea salt or medicinal herbs;
refuse water treatments if a rash or abscess appears at the site of tetanus vaccination.

The only thing that doctors agree on is the ban on visiting baths, saunas, swimming pools, swimming in the sea or river after vaccination

Tetanus in children

The incubation period for tetanus infection can last from 1 day to 2-3 weeks. The average period is 6-14 days. The shorter the incubation period, the more severe the form of tetanus the body is susceptible to. The disease usually begins acutely. In some cases, there may be “harbingers of the disease”: anxiety, loss of appetite, crying in infants. There is a burning sensation in the wound, tingling, and pain radiating along the nerve trunks. The first symptom of the disease is trismus (cramps) of the masticatory muscles.

Before trismus, newborns may have difficulty sucking and swallowing. During cramps of the masticatory muscles, the child cannot open his mouth, cannot speak, or eat. Trismus is followed by spasms of the facial muscles. The patient's face takes on a peculiar expression: a smile is combined with crying. Some time later, painful rigidity of the muscles of the back of the head occurs, then other muscle groups. A general convulsive syndrome appears. If the tone of the extensor muscles of the back predominates, opisthotonus occurs - the patient arches on the bed in the form of an arch, resting only on the heels and the back of the head.

In the first days of the disease, convulsive contractions last 2-5 seconds, appear 1-2 times a day, then they become more frequent and prolonged. During convulsions, the face of a sick child turns pale, then turns blue, takes on an expression of suffering, the veins of the head and neck swell, the large fontanel is tense, the body is stretched.

Due to spasm of the pharyngeal muscles, swallowing becomes impossible. The voice weakens or disappears. Difficulty urinating and defecating. If the phenomena of asphyxia and circulatory disorders increase, the patient's death is possible.

With tetanus, severe sweating, salivation, painful insomnia, and high body temperature are observed. There is no enlargement of the liver and spleen, and there are no changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. Blood tests show neutrophilic leukocytosis, sometimes aneosinophilia and mild anemia.

According to the severity of clinical manifestations, the disease can be of the following forms: fulminant, severe, moderate, mild. With the fulminant form of tetanus in children, the incubation period is only 3 to 5 days. The disease begins without warning, abruptly, convulsions are generalized from the first day, hyperthermia, tachycardia, severe respiratory distress, and asphyxia are observed. Death occurs quickly.

The severe form of tetanus is manifested by frequent and intense convulsions with hyperthermia, tachycardia and respiratory failure, but there is no asphyxia and pulmonary edema, as in the fulminant form of the disease.

With a moderate form of the disease, the incubation period lasts from 8 to 15 days (as a rule), the main symptoms appear within 3-4 days. Attacks of general tetanic convulsions occur several times a day and do not last long. Breathing disorders are also short-lived.

With a mild form of tetanus, the incubation period is long – 2 weeks or longer. Symptoms develop over 5-6 days. The temperature is normal or rises to low-grade levels. There are no swallowing or breathing problems.

Local tetanus is a fairly rare occurrence. First, muscle damage occurs in the area of the wound where the infection was introduced. Tonic tension and pain appear in the wound, and later tetanic convulsions. The toxin then moves forward, gradually involving new muscle groups in the process. Local tetanus can become generalized.

Tetanus in children is always acute. Symptoms are pronounced for 2-4 weeks. The first week of illness poses the least danger. Tetanic convulsions after 10-14 days become less intense and more rare. Muscle tone gradually returns to normal, trismus disappears. Complete clinical recovery occurs 1.5-2 months after the onset of the disease.

The disease recurs in extremely rare cases. Complications of tetanus arise in connection with the main process (aspiration pneumonia, muscle and tendon ruptures, bone fractures, pulmonary edema, dislocations, etc.) or are caused by the layering of a secondary bacterial infection (sepsis, bronchopneumonia, etc.).

Tetanus in newborns and children of the 1st year of life. Newborns become infected when the umbilical cord becomes infected if the birth took place in unsanitary conditions. Features This often happens if unsterile cutting instruments were used.

The incubation period in the case described above lasts about 3-7 days. The child begins to cry and become restless. Due to difficulty opening the mouth and swallowing, the baby refuses to breastfeed.

Next, tetanic convulsions, tremors of the lower lip, chin and tongue, and the passage of urine and feces appear. During a convulsive attack, cyanosis increases, the muscles become hard, the body becomes tense, the head is thrown back, the face is frozen, with a wrinkled forehead and a closed mouth. The arms are bent at the elbows and pressed to the body, the hands are clenched into fists, the legs are bent and crossed. The child is excited, screams, body temperature is often high, but can remain within normal limits. The course of tetanus in newborns is very severe. Mortality rate is 50% or higher.

What happens if you take a swim after vaccination?

Water may contain pathogens that can easily enter the body through a puncture and cause inflammation. The risk increases if a person scratches or rubs the injection area . If infected, the injection site will begin to rot.

In this case, the problem can be eliminated only by surgical intervention. When taking a shower or bath, the pores of the skin open, so the risk of complications increases significantly.

After a tetanus vaccination, your temperature often rises. This is a natural reaction of the body and indicates the beginning of the formation of immunity. But during this period, the person becomes weakened and runs the risk of catching a cold.

Temperature changes often contribute to the development of the disease. In this case, the body’s defenses will be aimed at fighting pathology. As a result, specific immunity to tetanus may not develop correctly.

If you take baths with herbs or sea salt, the risk of developing an allergic reaction increases. This is especially true for highly sensitive individuals.

In any case, swimming creates additional stress on the body, which is best avoided in the post-vaccination period. But in hot weather it is difficult to do without water procedures. Therefore, it is recommended to wipe areas that require regular hygiene with a damp soft towel or napkin.

How many days can you not wash after a tetanus shot?

Doctors' opinions also differ regarding how many days one should not wash after immunization against tetanus.
Some argue that it is better to avoid water procedures until the puncture site heals. Others believe that you can take a shower the very next day after the procedure.

In each individual case, the period of abstinence from swimming is determined individually. The doctor takes into account the state of health, reaction to the vaccine, and the characteristics of the person.

It is advisable not to wash or visit baths, saunas, swimming pools, or take a bath for 3-5 days after vaccination. As a rule, this time period is quite enough for the puncture to heal and infection cannot penetrate into it.

After administering the drug, you should ask your doctors how many days after you can start washing.

Is it possible to play sports?

After receiving a tetanus shot, many patients wonder whether they can play sports. Immunization is stressful for the body. For the proper formation of protective forces and the prevention of complications, it is important to avoid physical activity during the post-vaccination period.

Today, many people are fans of sports, but physical activity immediately after vaccination can cause weakened immunity. Water sports (swimming in the pool, water aerobics classes) are especially prohibited.

During physical exercise, a person sweats. If there are drafts, there is a risk of catching a cold. Sweat entering the puncture area can cause irritation, inflammation and a number of other complications.

The results of heavy physical labor immediately after vaccination can be unpredictable. Therefore, doctors recommend giving up sports for 3-5 days.

Doctors allow you to start training only when your temperature is normal and you feel well. But you should not immediately expose the body to excessive stress.

What else should children and adults not do for the first time after vaccination?

In addition to swimming and playing sports, there are a number of other restrictions after vaccination. It is advisable to know the full list of prohibitions in order to protect the body as much as possible from the development of adverse reactions and complications.

If a baby has been vaccinated, the mother is prohibited from introducing foods that can cause allergies into her diet, as well as taking certain medications.

You should not give your baby vitamin D for some time. This microelement can upset the balance of calcium, which is responsible for the development of an allergic reaction. There is also no need to introduce new foods into complementary foods.

General recommendations for all children:

It is worth protecting the child from contact with other people. It is better not to invite friends and acquaintances home, and not to visit public places. For walks, you need to choose a green area (garden). For the first couple of days after vaccination, it is advisable that the child does not go to kindergarten, but is at home;
You need to exclude chocolate, marmalade, cakes, and store-bought juices from the menu. These foods increase the likelihood of developing allergies;
do not allow the injection area to be scratched;
You should not treat the injection site with ointments for better healing.

Prohibitions during the post-vaccination period for adults:

drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can reduce the body's defenses;
consume exotic fruits and foods with highly allergenic qualities;
overeat the day before and on the day of immunization;
visit crowded places (shops, exhibitions, concerts), go on hikes, travel abroad;
contact with sick people;
take medications without consulting a doctor. Some medications create an obstacle to the formation of specific immunity and increase the risk of developing an allergic reaction;
cover the vaccination site with a plaster;
treat the puncture with ointments, lotions or creams.

For several days after a tetanus vaccination, children and adults are advised to eat light foods and increase the amount of fluid they drink per day. Warm teas, chamomile infusions, and milk are beneficial.

Principles and purposes of vaccination

Since natural immunity does not exist, that is, immunity after an illness is short-lived, susceptibility to the disease is very high, and the course of the disease is extremely severe, with a high probability of death, you should be vaccinated against this dangerous infection. Tetanus can be rapidly prevented through immunization and vaccines containing tetanus toxoid, which are included in childhood immunization programs worldwide.

Isolated tetanus vaccination can be successfully used to immunize people of any age group, both children and adults. It is especially important to vaccinate pregnant women who have not previously been vaccinated against tetanus, as this can reduce the risk of maternal and neonatal (infant) tetanus to virtually zero. In addition, antibodies against tetanus are passed from mother to newborn, protecting the baby for two months. To develop full immunity to infection, it is necessary to administer five doses of tetanus vaccine. It is recommended that adults, especially women of childbearing age, be revaccinated throughout their lives, which will ensure immunity to infection for life. In Russia, adults are recommended to receive a booster vaccination against tetanus every 10 years.

Vaccination is carried out three times, with an interval of 45 days and a single revaccination 12 months after the 3rd vaccination, i.e. at 18 months of age. Further, according to the vaccination calendar, revaccination is carried out with ADS-M toxoid at 7 and 14 years of age and subsequently every 10 years. Emergency prevention of tetanus consists of primary surgical treatment of the wound and the simultaneous administration of a vaccine (ADS or ADS-M) and human tetanus immunoglobulin (TSHI), or purified concentrated antitetanus serum (PTS).

Video on the topic

Read more about vaccination against tetanus in the TV show “Live Healthy!”:

Thus, a tetanus vaccination helps develop specific immunity against the bacteria Clostridium tetani, which affects the nervous system and causes seizures. Vaccinations begin from infancy.

Many parents do not know whether it is possible to wet the puncture site, and doctors do not give a definite answer. It is better to avoid swimming for the first three days. You should also adhere to a number of other prohibitions. This will help build immunity correctly and prevent the development of adverse reactions.

What to do if you need to take a shower

To carry out hygiene measures and not worry that water will get into the injection site and cause side effects, you need to follow simple recommendations:

If you have any doubts that you will inadvertently wet the vaccine, it is better to replace taking a bath with a light shower.
The area where the vaccine was administered can be bandaged and covered with plastic wrap. This will protect the injection from getting wet.
If your child is used to splashing around in the bathtub every night before going to bed, it is better not to limit him to this. But make sure that water does not get into the wound.

When a person cannot do without water procedures even for one day, then taking a shower after a tetanus vaccination is not prohibited. The main thing is to protect the injection site .