# Why does a tetanus shot hurt more than a normal injection?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-tetanus-shot-hurt-more-than-a-normal-injection/43733>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 2, 2000, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-tetanus-shot-hurt-more-than-a-normal-injection/43733 "2000-12-02T18:30:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-tetanus-shot-hurt-more-than-a-normal-injection/43733/41 "2011-09-22T18:38:54Z")

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It hurts because it is injected into your _braaaaaaains_!

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**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-tetanus-shot-hurt-more-than-a-normal-injection/43733/42 "2011-09-22T21:20:23Z")

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tetanus - ouch!

typhoid -zowie!, X 3

cholera - even awfuller, X 3

Yellow Fever - WTF? By far the worst shot of them all! Swoon, sweat, feel like shit for 24-48hrs. Arm swells like a tennis ball for 3 days! Sole redeeming feature - it’s good for 10 yrs!

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**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-tetanus-shot-hurt-more-than-a-normal-injection/43733/43 "2011-09-23T02:44:22Z")

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I skimmed thru the responses so forgive me if this was already said, but I worked at a hospital for twenty years and was required to get a tetanus shot every ten years. The first one hurt so bad that I actually started dreading my ten year anniversary! But when I went for it the employee nurse said that it only hurt the first time because that nurse didn’t mix it well enough before injecting.

Turned out she was right, she mixed it good and it didn’t burn at all! For what it’s worth…

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**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-a-tetanus-shot-hurt-more-than-a-normal-injection/43733/44 "2011-09-23T02:46:19Z")

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> [@Hail\_Ants](#):
>
> I skimmed thru the responses so forgive me if this was already said, but I worked at a hospital for twenty years and was required to get a tetanus shot every ten years. The first one hurt so bad that I actually started dreading my ten year anniversary! But when I went for it the employee nurse said that it only hurt the first time because that nurse didn’t mix it well enough before injecting.
> 
> Turned out she was right, she mixed it good and it didn’t burn at all! For what it’s worth…

Not only was it already said, but it was already said [by you](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=937871&postcount=24). Ten years ago.

Only once, though. For twenty minutes.

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