3 ways to protect yourself from this painful flu shot side effect

Flu season will be in full swing soon. And we know it’s going to be especially complicated this year…

Even though a flu vaccine won’t help you avoid COVID-19, it might help you get diagnosed faster if you develop symptoms, because they should be able to rule out flu pretty quickly.

If you fell victim to the flu last year, there are plenty of ways to change your fate this year. But the most popular is the flu shot.

The flu shot is a tricky topic because a lot of people feel strongly about it. Some people never get it. They prefer to take their chances or prevent the flu in other ways.

Others always get it. They think it’s the best way to keep themselves safe from the flu and the dangerous side effects that come with it, like pneumonia, sepsis or even death.

But if you fall in the latter camp, there’s something you need to know…

There’s a flu shot side effect that can cause you pain for months afterward. It’s called shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA).

It’s rare. But it’s painful enough that you’ll want to do everything in your power to prevent it.

Luckily, there are three simple steps you can take to do just that…

What is SIRVA?

Anyone who’s ever gotten a vaccine knows that it’s common to experience muscle pain at the injection site for a few days afterward. But for some people that pain doesn’t go away after a few days.

It lasts for months and gradually gets worse. It’s accompanied by immobility and weakness in the muscle that received the vaccination too. This side effect, known as shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA), is more likely to happen when vaccines are injected into the wrong spot on the arm.

Like I said earlier, SIRVA is rare. Most people who get a flu shot won’t experience this problem. But reported cases are on the rise.

The first documented case of SIRVA was published in 2006. That means, doctors didn’t even realize the connection between vaccines and severe, ongoing shoulder pain existed before then.

In the years since, there’s been several studies that support the connection. And in 2015 SIRVA was officially recognized by the federal government as a vaccine-related injury that people could seek compensation for through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

Evidence also shows that SIRVA is more likely to occur with vaccines that you’ve already developed some immunity too. So, vaccines you’ve gotten numerous times over your lifetime — like the flu shot.

Symptoms of SIRVA include pain, weakness, and impaired mobility in the arm that received the injection. The pain caused by SIRVA is severe. So severe that it can interfere with daily activities like brushing your teeth, hanging up clothes or picking up everyday items. This severe pain hits within 48 hours of getting a vaccine and isn’t relieved by over-the-counter painkillers.

Preventing SIRVA

So, now that you know a bit more about this unusual vaccine side effect, how can you keep yourself safe from SIRVA this flu season?

Well, since getting an improperly administered vaccine puts you at risk for SIRVA, here’s what you need to do if you get a flu shot this year:

1. Wear a sleeveless shirt or a shirt where the sleeves can easily pull up. Wearing something that provides easy access to your arm will decrease your chances of receiving the vaccine in the wrong spot, which is one of the believed causes of SIRVA.
2. Don’t pull the neck of your shirt down to provide access to your arm. Getting your vaccine too high in your arm is the riskiest when it comes to SIRVA. That’s because SIRVA is closely tied to receiving the vaccine in your shoulder capsule (the membrane around your shoulder) instead of the deltoid muscle (the muscle on the upper part of the arm and top of the shoulder).
3. Put your hand on your hip with your elbow out and away from the body. This will cause the deltoid muscle to relax, making it easier to administer the vaccine in the right spot.

If you already suspect you have SIRVA, head to the doctor for an ultrasound scan. That’s how the condition is diagnosed. In most cases, you can improve your pain significantly through physiotherapy.

The symptoms of SIRVA should go away after physiotherapy treatment. But for some unlucky folks, it doesn’t. If you have severe shoulder pain related to a vaccine that doesn’t go away, head to the government’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program website to see if you qualify to file a claim.

Sources:

How to help protect yourself from vaccine administration injury — EurekaAlert

Why Are Cases of Shoulder Injuries from Vaccines Increasing? — Wired

Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration reported more frequently — American Academy of Pediatrics News

Getting it in the right spot: Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) and other injection site events — SAGE Journals