Exact Answer: Within 2-3 days
Getting cut or injured is one of the painful experiences. Once the pain settles down, the foremost step should be to take care of the wound. Few wounds which do not break the skin can be cured with home remedies or bandages, but some cuts and injuries require medical treatment because there is probably a high chance of getting infected with tetanus.
Tetanus can be prevented by receiving a vaccine or tetanus booster earlier as per the schedule. Although this vaccine does not last forever, it can prevent immediate effects and a vaccine should be updated at least every 8-10 years to gain enough immunity against Tetanus.
As there is no permanent cure for this, you should be very careful regarding this infection. After cleaning the wound, observe the wound for the next couple of hours for any significant signs of infections.
How Long After Cut Tetanus Shot?
The bacteria which causes tetanus enters the body through a wound or cut and they are found in soil particles. The tetanus shot must be given as soon as possible but in few unavoidable situations, it can be still be given within around 24-48 hours of the wound or cut to escape from contracting bacterial infections like tetanus.
Tetanus may develop when your wound is in contact with soil or rusty objects or when there is a break in the skin. It can affect the nervous system too. Professionals recommend receiving a tetanus booster or shot in probably two cases as follows.
Though the wound is clean, if you haven’t received any tetanus booster for the past 10 years, it is highly suggested to receive it immediately. And if the wound is dirtier than expected and you haven’t had a booster for the past 5 years, then it is recommended to have one.
If you are not sure about the date of the last vaccine and you have got a cut, it is far better to receive a tetanus shot within 48 hours of injury than being infected heavily. The size of the wound never matters in case of Tetanus infection.
And Tetanus depends on several important components such as wound nature, no. of vaccinations took already, and also on the date of the last booster. Despite being dangerous, it can be fatal only in very rare cases when it is left untreated and does not show any adverse effects.
In Summary,
| Last Vaccine | Nature of Wound | Tetanus shot |
| Before 10 years | Clean | Within 24 hours |
| Before 5 years | Dirty | Within 24 hours |
| Within 5 years | Clean | Within 24-72 hours |
Why Do it is Necessary to Receive Tetanus Shot Immediately After Cut?
Tetanus is one of the deadly diseases. People can see the effect of tetanus nearly within 3 days. Most people relate the condition due to tetanus only with lockjaw, but the fact is muscles of the entire body can be affected. Breaking of bones due to the force of spasms of muscle, spasms of the larynx, and irregular heart rate are all possible from a tetanus infection.
Several medications and therapies are available for the tetanus infection which will be chosen by the doctor for you depending on the severity of the infection but as prevention is better than cure, it is recommended to give tetanus vaccine as per the schedule. Professionals suggest taking Tetanus Immunoglobulin for a wound that is at a higher risk of getting an infection. It is needed if the tetanus primary vaccination series has not been completed.
It is alright to get an additional booster of the tetanus vaccine along with a Tetanus shot irrespective of the schedule especially if you are being treated for a cut or wound. Usually, your respective consultant too can suggest an earlier booster along with a shot, once if the wound is suspected of tetanus infection.
If you have been vaccinated within the past 10 years, then a Tetanus shot will certainly help to get rid of the infection sooner. Though tetanus shots are the most important thing after any wound for regaining immunity in case of any loss, it has few minor side effects too like swelling in the injected area, redness, and soreness but still, the shot and vaccine are safe.
Conclusion
People who have been vaccinated or received a Tetanus booster earlier, rarely get affected by Tetanus. There is a high chance of affected by tetanus again if you are not vaccinated. According to the study, the Tetanus vaccine gives effective results whenever needed.
Still, there are few methods, through which Tetanus can be prevented like cleaning around the wounds with soap and clean water until possible. Always make a try to remove the particulate matter or dirt out of the wound which does not only prevent tetanus but also helps to prevent other bacterial infections.