Should I go and get a tetanus booster?

[navyeyelasH]

I just stood on a nail - it went through my shoe and into the ball of my foot. Not very deep and only bled for a little while, has stopped now and is just a bit red. Can walk on it normally etc.

Just rang NHS direct and they suggested going to get a tetanus booster, which I probably will do; just going to check with GP if mine are up to date but they are closed for lunch right now.

How often are you supposed to have a tetanus booster? Also would you go get a tetanus for such a minor cut - I feel like I would be wasting the nurses time TBH. The nail wasn't rusty.

I ripped the skin on the top of my toes at the weekend in the garden and had to go to A&E where I was given a tetanus booster as my last one was 11 years ago.

I also saw the nurse at local surgery a couple of days later by which time my arm was quite swollen and hard around the site of the injection. She said that this reaction meant that I had enough tetanus stored in my skin cells and this is why I'd had a reaction. Said this one would last me for life now.

hmm thanks listenglisten - it sounds ike your injury was quite bad where as mine is nothing!

yup clear bright red blood, but the nail was from the garden and reading some google searches it seems that soil is a bit of a worry. Also managed to get through to my GP and have not had a booster for 12 years. Might just go and get one, it's only around the corner really at the walk in centre - I can maybe hop all the way there!

Thanks Riven