Putting an Old Wives Tale to Rest & Where to Receive a Tetanus Vaccination in NYC

NYC is not the first place you think of when you think about tetanus. If you’re anything like me you think about moss-covered wooden shacks and rusty nails jutting out from old decrepit floorboards. Since not many people think like me (I’m an American original, you see…) you probably have a better idea than I do regarding the possibility of tetanus infection. And what causes it. I just learned there was a vaccination for it, so that proves I know next to nothing. Well I DID know next to nothing, but I did my research for this article. Travel with me, if you will, through a non-fictitious landscape where tetanus abounds!

Enough with the corny poetry-esque sentences, let’s discuss tetanus, What It Is, Its Symptoms and Its Vaccination, shall we? We shall. As previously stated, I whole-heartedly once believed that tetanus was caused by stepping on a rusted nail. At least that’s what I had heard throughout my long (-ish) life, attending summer camps and being a generally inquisitive-type brat. I am sure I am not the only kid from NYC who believed that tetanus was caught by stepping on a rusted nail. (After briefly questioning a few friends, it would seem my belief in this old wives tale has been confirmed.)

Let’s take a look at why this old wives tale has flourished. Tetanus is a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system. Anyone can catch it, whether from NYC or a small town in Oklahoma. Before this disease ravages the entire body it begins in the facial muscles, thus it has long been referred to as Lockjaw. Tetanus is only spread through an already existing wound where the bacteria can enter the bloodstream. The bacteria are found primarily in agricultural areas such as dirt, soil and animal manure. Herein lays the reason for the rusted nail myth…

Wherever there is dirt, soil and animal manure there’s probably going to be a few rusted nails poking up out of a few boards! The rusted nail does not cause the disease, rather it is the texture of the rusted nail which may harbor the bacteria that already exists in the surrounding dirt (soil and manure). It is recommended that anyone who spends a great deal of time outdoors—whether for fun or employment—should receive a tetanus vaccination. That includes anyone who works outdoors in NYC. Unfortunately, our fellow Americans know not the abundance of the green spaces in NYC. (It really is a shame. We have such lovely parks.)

The vaccination for tetanus is different from many other travel vaccinations in that it is a multi-step process. Most people receive the vaccination when they are children as a step toward entering school. However, booster shots are highly recommended if in a high risk group. Anyone who spends a large amount of time working in or around soil outdoors should contact a certified travel clinic and discuss with a doctor the risks associated with their lifestyle.

Untreated tetanus can cause spasms of the vocal chords and respiratory muscles, fractures of bones, hypertension, coma and even death. Vaccination is the best bet when attempting to safeguard your good health. There are many certified travel clinics in NYC ready and able to administer the vaccination for tetanus.

In fact, if one currently resides in NYC and are in need of a travel clinic for any reason—including a tetanus vaccination NYC—look no further than Travel Clinic NYC. This highly respected medical facility is located in the heart of midtown Manhattan and is easily accessible by both train and bus. Call 1-212-696-5900 to arrange an appointment today. And like mother always said, “Don’t play in the dirt!”