Your Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis Shot – Tdap

The tetanus / diphtheria / pertussis shot (Tdap) protects against three serious illnesses.

Tetanus also known as ‘lockjaw’ is a serious disease. Individuals  with Tetanus ordinarily have painful tightening of the jaw and neck muscles. As a result, they cannot open their mouths or swallow. Tetanus doesn’t spread from person to person. Individuals  get tetanus when their skin is cut or broken, particularly when they are around dust, soil and manure.

Diphtheria is a very serious infection of the upper chest.  The infection can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis and even death. A individuals who’s diphtheria can give it to somebody else by coughing. Today, hardly anybody in the U.S.  gets diphtheria because nearly everybody gets the vaccine (shot).

Pertussis (whooping cough) is an infection of the chest that causes people  to cough very hard for a long time. Sometimes people  cough so hard they break a rib. A person with whooping cough also has trouble breathing. Whooping cough can lead to pneumonia. Whooping cough spreads easily from one person to another.

The Tdap shot is the best way to protect against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. If you are between 19 – 64 years old, you ought to get the Tdap shot one time. When it’s time for you to get your tetanus diphtheria booster shot, that’s a good time to get the Tdap shot instead. Your provider may recommend Tdap as soon as 2 years from your last tetanus/diphtheria booster because Tdap also protects you against whooping cough.

After you get Tdap shot, your skin may  be sore where the needle went in.