What does lockjaw mean




















It could be related to a bad bite malocclusion , causing the jaw and facial muscles to become inflamed and function improperly, or it may be a result of an injury to the cartilage in the jaw joint, sometimes caused by grinding or clenching. Signs of a TMJ issue can vary from person to person, and not everyone experiences the locked jaw sensation. Some of the most common symptoms include:. Fill out the form below or call today! Phone: Words related to lockjaw tetanus , trismus. How to use lockjaw in a sentence Every sharp point was covered with rust and threatened lockjaw.

Invention Bradley A. Tetanus affects the nerves that control your muscles, which can lead to difficulty swallowing. You may also experience spasms and stiffness in various muscles, especially those in your jaw , abdomen , chest, back, and neck.

The incubation period — the time between exposure to the bacteria and the onset of illness — is between 3 and 21 days. Symptoms typically appear within 14 days of initial infection. Infections that occur faster after exposure are typically more severe and have a worse prognosis. Your doctor will perform a physical exam to check for symptoms of tetanus, such as muscle stiffness and painful spasms.

Unlike many other diseases, tetanus is not generally diagnosed through laboratory tests. However, your doctor may still perform lab tests to help rule out diseases with similar symptoms. These include meningitis , a bacterial infection that affects the brain and spinal cord, or rabies , a viral infection that causes brain swelling. Your doctor will also base a tetanus diagnosis on your immunization history. Treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms. Tetanus is typically treated with a variety of therapies and medications, such as:.

In some cases, a surgical procedure called debridement is used to remove dead or infected tissue. If you have difficulty swallowing and breathing , you may need a breathing tube or ventilator a machine that moves air in and out of the lungs. Severe muscle spasms as a result of tetanus can also cause serious health complications, such as:. Vaccination can prevent tetanus infections, but only if you receive your booster shots on schedule.

In the United States, the tetanus vaccine is given to children as part of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis shot, also called the DTap shot. Do you have any questions about lockjaw? Call Westermeier Martin Dental care to schedule an appointment with your dentist What is Lockjaw? Previous Next. View Larger Image. What is lockjaw? What causes lockjaw? These include: Tetanus: This serious bacterial infection is often a major cause behind lockjaw.

It affects the muscles and the nervous system throughout the body. Therefore, the muscles tighten and contract. This infection often affects the muscles of the neck and jaw, but eventually spreads to the rest of the body.

Animal bites, burns, cuts, wounds, insect bites, tattoos, piercing, chronic infection, injection drug or even a dental infection may cause tetanus and this may lead to a lockjaw. To talk about the mechanism, it must be mentioned that in case of tetanus, small reproductive spores of Clostridium tetani bacteria enter the bloodstream through cuts or wounds and other sources and produces the tetanospasmin toxin that blocks the nerve signals of the central nervous system acting as a poison.

This causes the muscular spasms and thus the muscles of the jaw are also blocked.



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