As of 2010, there are three different types of tetanus shots: Td, which protects adult patients against tetanus and diphtheria; Tdap, which protects adolescent and adult patients against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis; and DTaP, which protects children aged 6 and younger against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. A patient should talk with a doctor about the potential symptoms that may arise after getting a tetanus shot.
Reaction at Injection Site
Patients commonly experience injection site reaction symptoms after getting a tetanus shot. The most frequent symptom is injection site pain, which affects approximately 25 to 80 percent of treated patients, depending upon the type of tetanus shot they receive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additional injection site symptoms include skin swelling, inflammation, redness or tenderness. These symptoms can occur immediately after getting a tetanus shot and may make it difficult for a patient to lift or move the affected arm normally.
Upset Stomach
Upset stomach symptoms can affect patients who receive the Tdap or DTaP tetanus vaccine. An estimated 10 to 25 percent of patients treated with the Tdap vaccine experience a stomachache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, the Immunization Action Coalition reports. Diarrhea symptoms can contribute to abdominal cramping or bloating in certain patients. Additionally, treatment with either the Tdap or DTaP shot can result in a temporary loss of appetite. Patients who experience severe or persistent upset stomach symptoms after getting a tetanus shot should be evaluated by a doctor.
Fever, Headache or Irritability
Fever symptoms can occur after patients get a tetanus shot. Approximately 25 percent of children who receive the DTaP vaccine develop a fever, according to the CDC, while less than 7 percent of patients treated with either Tdap or Td experience similar side effects. Fever symptoms are typically low-grade and can contribute to fussiness, irritability, headache, sweating, chills or fatigue in affected patients. Patients who experience high fever symptoms should seek additional care from a medical professional.
Seizures
The CDC estimates that approximately 1 in every 14,000 children develop seizure symptoms following DTaP vaccination. A seizure can result in confusion, unusual body spasms or temporary loss of consciousness. Patients who develop any of these symptoms following receipt of a tetanus shot should consult a physician as soon as possible.
