What is tetanus also known as?

Tetanus is commonly known as "lockjaw" because one of its hallmark symptoms is the involuntary tightening of the jaw muscles, which can prevent a person from opening their mouth. This occurs due to the toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which affects the nervous system and leads to severe muscle stiffness and spasms. The term "lockjaw" specifically highlights this significant and recognizable symptom associated with the condition.

The other terms do not correctly or commonly represent tetanus. "Wooden jaw" and "tight jaw" might describe aspects of the symptomatology but are not widely recognized medical terms related to tetanus. Similarly, "muscle rigidity" refers to a general symptom that can occur in various medical conditions but does not specifically capture the characteristic and well-known nature of the symptoms of tetanus like "lockjaw" does.