I visited my hairdresser last week. She was limping with one foot in a brace (because she had dropped a TV on it) and was also having trouble with her other leg – double limping. She assumed she had received a spider bite on the non injured leg while sleeping and when she went to the emergency medical facility in the morning (because her knee was so swollen she couldn’t bend it), where the medics on duty decided that along with the antibiotic injection, she needed a tetanus shot.

Tetanus shots are apparently very popular in emergency medical treatment. Most everyone who goes there for all sorts of reasons can usually be recommended to get one. Dr Sherri Tenpenny said that as the supervisor of a very busy emergency room, before she did her own research on tetanus,  she used to give them out like candy.

I grew being taught that you needed tetanus shots. I think all five of my children got a tetanus shot at some point. Some had head wounds requiring stitches and were given tetanus shots. I don’t even know how many I’ve had in my life.

Well, it seems the science does not support this unquenchable knee jerk reaction amongst those treating emergency wounds. I’m sure many of you won’t believe me (it took me a long time to accept the fact that maybe all the advice I’d received over the years was just slightly off). But I thought I would post this article link so you can do more detailed investigation for yourself. As for me and mine, we won’t be getting tetanus shots anymore.

Oh, and I listened to my hairdresser’s story and never even informed her that actually a tetanus shot wasn’t necessary. I didn’t want her to feel the victim of yet another assault. She had already received more than her share. And I reassured myself that if she’s asked, she probably won’t be given another one for at least 10 years. So I have a bit of time to think of a way to break the news to her.

My fourteen year old daughter advises me (regularly) that random people really do not want to be informed on everything they don’t know about vaccines. Just because I’m passionate about the subject, doesn’t mean everyone else is. I’m really trying, but I can’t help my desire to save people from unnecessary long-term negative health impacts inflicted on them by ignorance or misinformation.

Why You Never Need a Tetanus Vaccine Regardless of Your Age or Location. This is a detailed well referenced article by Dave Mihalovic is a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in vaccine research, cancer prevention and a natural approach to treatment.

More Tetanus Links:

Once I began to look into the topic, I found there has been quite a lot of helpful information written about tetanus and the vaccine. I’ve collected the links here.

What advice have you received in the ER about tetanus shots?