Why is tetanus sometimes called lockjaw?
Answers
Follow
3 doctors weighed in:
Why is tetanus sometimes called lockjaw?
3 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Ferguson
Pediatrics
In brief: Jaw muscle spasms
The germ of tetnus produces a chemical toxin called tetanospasmin.
Normal muscle action is maintained by a balance of chemicals that signal a contraction & release. This toxin takes over the message center, locking a muscle group in the contraction mode & preventing "relaxing" messages from getting thru. Occasionally localized, most often bodywide, it locks up the jaws like it does other muscles.
In brief: Jaw muscle spasms
The germ of tetnus produces a chemical toxin called tetanospasmin.
Normal muscle action is maintained by a balance of chemicals that signal a contraction & release. This toxin takes over the message center, locking a muscle group in the contraction mode & preventing "relaxing" messages from getting thru. Occasionally localized, most often bodywide, it locks up the jaws like it does other muscles.
Dr. James Ferguson
Thank
Dr. Majid Jamali
Surgery - Oral & Maxillofacial
In brief: Tetanus
Because it causes severe hyper activation of your masetter muscle and therefore can not open mouth.
Thank
Get help from a real doctor now
Dr. Peter Kurzweil
Board Certified, Internal Medicine
47 years in practice
16M people helped
Continue
108,000 doctors available
