• Control and reverse the tetany with antitoxin (tetanus immune globulin).
• Give penicillin to kill C. tetani (other antibiotics such as clindamycin, erythromycin, or metronidazole can be used in patients who are allergic to penicillin).
• Remove and destroy the source of the toxin through surgical exploration and cleaning of the wound (debridement).
• Treat symptoms. Muscle spasms can be treated with muscle relaxants such as diazepam.
• Bedrest with a nonstimulating environment (dim light, reduced noise, and stable temperature) may be recommended.
• Sedation may be necessary to keep the affected person calm.

Respiratory support with oxygen, endotracheal tube, and mechanical ventilation may be necessary.

• Airway obstruction
• Respiratory arrest
• Heart failure
• Pneumonia
• Fractures
• Brain damage due to lack of oxygen during spasms

Call your health care provider if you sustain an open wound, particularly if you are injured outdoors or if the wound has otherwise been in contact with soil, and you have not received a tetanus booster (vaccine) within five years or you are not sure of your vaccination status.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have never been immunized against tetanus as an adult or child, if your children have not been immunized, or if you are unsure of your tetanus immunization (vaccine) status.