When do tetanus symptoms show up after an injury?

Tetanus is caused by bacteria getting into the body through a wound, such as a cut while gardening, or from an animal bite. The symptoms usually appear between two days and three weeks after the bacteria entered the body. The most common symptom of tetanus is a spasm of the muscles nearest to the infected wound. However, once the infection reaches the bloodstream, other symptoms start. These include spasm of the:

• chewing muscles, making it very hard to open the mouth,
• throat muscles, making it difficult to swallow,
• facial muscles which can make it seem like the person's face has a sardonic grin,
• neck, making the head tilt,
• chest, making breathing difficult,
• back muscles, arching the spine (common in children with the infection),
• stomach wall, and
• arms and legs.

Other symptoms include:

• extreme sensitivity to touch,
• high fever,
• sore throat,
• rapid heartbeat,
• difficulty breathing,
• headache,
• bleeding into the bowels, and
• diarrhea.