Although tetanus affects several muscles groups in the body, it primarily affects the jaw muscles, hence the nickname lockjaw. Early symptoms of lockjaw include stiffness in the jaw, neck, and limbs. As the disease progresses, the jaws become firmly closed.
Other advanced symptoms of tetanus include rigidity in the muscles of the back and abdomen, painful seizures and difficulty swallowing. Tetanus is fatal when the muscles involved with respiration are affected.
