Tetanus and lockjaw are related because they both describe the same disease. Tetanus originates from the Clostridium tetani bacteria, which frequently enters the body through cuts, improper care of the umbilical cord, or puncture wounds. The result is a progressive illness that causes tightening of the muscles in first the face, then in the rest of the body.
During a tetanus illness patients can be racked with painful muscle spasms called tetany. They may also experience great difficulty breathing as most muscles and joints are now limited by their tight contraction. High fever and death may result even in those treated.
Lockjaw can be used interchangeably with tetanus to describe the illness, or it may refer to a particular symptom of the illness. Most frequently in tetanus, the tightening of muscles leads to inability to use the jaw to chew or to swallow. This may have been noted first in horses because they are also vulnerable to the disease. Horses with lockjaw could not eat, thus hastening their demise.
Humans with lockjaw caused by tetanus, have other feeding options, like nasal-gastric tubes, or intravenous nutrition, so starvation is rarely the cause of death in treated tetanus. However, the jaw locking up and resisting movement is the most common symptom associated with tetanus, hence the alternate name.
Lockjaw can also be a symptom of conditions besides tetanus. For example, injury to the jaw can produced the locked and stiffened state. Those who have difficulties with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) may also find the jaw occasionally locks up, making the mouth difficult to either open or close. However, usually the term applies directly to tetanus.
Tetanus is preventable through vaccination. In developed countries, children get their first tetanus vaccination a few weeks after birth. They then receive several booster vaccinations in childhood. Developing countries cannot always afford to vaccinate, and one of the leading causes of tetanus death in such countries is infection of the umbilical cord stump, which has a 60% death rate when tetanus is contracted.
Adults and teenagers who get a deep cut or puncture wound are routinely re-vaccinated for tetanus, as vaccination can prevent the disease even after one has received a cut or wound. However, vaccinations need to be repeated every ten years to preserve immunity.
