Friday, September 29, 2023

Middle Back Pain After Flu Shot

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Yes You May Have A Sore Arm

Upper or Mid Back Pain or Headache? Use of the Backnobber on the Trapezius Muscle

Dont be surprised if you notice more side effects like an especially tender arm after your flu vaccination. It tends to be a little more sore after a high-dose shot because youve put in four times as much flu vaccine, points out Schaffner. But try to skip the over-the-counter pain relievers, as research suggests they may dilute the shots effectiveness.

You can also get the high-dose shot at the same time as you get your COVID-19 booster theres no reason why you need to space them out, doctors say but just be aware that you may end up with two sore arms.

Which Lifestyle Factors Contribute To Lower Back Pain

There are three major lifestyle factors that may affect your chances of developing lower back pain:

  • Multiple studies have established a link between smoking and lower back pain. Smoking raises inflammation inside the body and hinders the body from healing itself.
  • Obesity is also associated with several types of chronic pain, including lower back pain. In people with high body mass index , the stress on the spine increases, contributing to even more wear and tear.
  • Your level of physical activity can also play a role in your lower back health. While a sedentary lifestyle could increase your risk of developing lower back pain, so can excessive or strenuous physical activity. Check with your doctor if you are unsure about your ideal level of physical activity.

Signs That Its Time To Call A Doctor For Your Back Pain

Most people have experienced back pain at some point in their lives. It’s actually the leading cause of disability worldwide and the most common reason people call out of work. Back pain can come in many different forms, ranging from a dull ache that lasts only a few days to severe pain that lasts for weeks.

Depending on the intensity of the pain, there are many treatments you can try at home to help. But how do you know when it’s time to stop home remedies and see a physician?

If any of the following applies to your back pain, then it’s time to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible.

Recommended Reading: Number Of Flu Cases 2021

Ready To Address Your Back Pain

The University of Maryland Spine Network can help you put your pain behind you. With convenient locations throughout the state, the UM Spine Network is home to the region’s leading spine surgeons and specialists that can help you identify the source of your pain and put an end to it for good.

Put an end to your back pain. Find a spine specialist near you.

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Totally Normal Side Effects Of The Flu Shot According To Doctors

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Can the flu shot make you sick? No, doctors insist. But it does pose potential side effects, just like any other vaccine or medicine. Your arm might be tender after your flu shot, or your child could develop a cough after getting a dose of the nasal flu vaccine.

The majority of patients really dont have any side effects, says Sandra Kemmerly, M.D., system medical director for hospital quality at Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. And when symptoms do occur, theyre usually mild and clear up in a day or two, she says.

So why do some people feel sick after the flu shot while others dont? Doctors say reactions to the flu vaccine differ from person to person and that multiple factors are likely at play.

Think about how people respond to the common cold. Some folks get a runny nose and go on with their lives, while others stay home with a fever or develop a cough. Its the same with the flu shot, says Claudia Vicetti, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease specialist with UnityPoint Health in Cedar Falls, IA. Youre stimulating your body, and your immune system may react in different ways, she says.

Experts arent sure what to expect going into this flu season, given that it was practically non-existent last year due to COVID-19 safety protocols, says Richard Watkins, M.D., an infectious disease physician and a professor of internal medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University.

Recommended Reading: Can You Get Prevnar And Flu Shot Together

But They Still Shouldn’t Last More Than A Few Days

Fauci stressed that this reaction is completely normal, and expected to be short-lived. “By the following night, I was back to 100 percent normal. So for about 24 hours, you may be fatigued, you may have a little muscle ache,” he said of his experience with the second shot. “I did not get fever, but some people do.”

Moderna warns that side effects could go on slightly longer than that. “Solicited local and systemic adverse reactions reported following administration of Moderna COVID19 Vaccine had a median duration of 2 to 3 days,” the company reports.

‘”In most cases, discomfort from fever or pain is normal,” the CDC notes. “Contact your doctor or healthcare provider if your side effects are worrying you or do not seem to be going away after a few days.” And for more on the only signs that mean you shouldn’t get your second dose, check out If You Have These Vaccine Side Effects, Don’t Get Another Shot, CDC Says.

While You Cannot Contract The Flu From The Flu Shot Vaccines Like Any Medication Come With The Risk Of Side Effects

Common side effects include: Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given low grade fever muscle aches or toughness/itching at the injection site. These reactions typically present soon after the flu shot and last one to two days.

If you experience a life-threatening allergic reaction, such as breathing problems hoarseness or wheezing hives paleness weakness increased heart rate or dizziness, seek medical attention immediately.

In some cases, symptoms of reaction persist and can develop into long-term illnesses.

Read Also: When Do They Start Giving Flu Shots

How Does It Happen

SIRVA can happen if a medical worker gives you a vaccine shot too high up on your upper arm. That could accidentally damage tissues or structures in the shoulder.

The right place to give this type of shot is in the middle, thickest part of the deltoid, a large triangular muscle that goes from your upper arm bone to your collarbone.

To prevent SIRVA and give these shots properly, many medical workers are trained to look or feel for specific physical âlandmarksâ on the arm that guide them to the deltoid muscle.

How Does The Flu Shot Work

Why does your arm hurt after the COVID-19 vaccine?

Your annual flu shot triggers your immune system to create antibodies against the virus. Antibodies help you fight off the infection, so you dont get sick. It takes your body about two weeks to develop enough antibodies to protect you from a flu infection.

Flu viruses evolve and change quickly, and the flu shot you received last year may not protect you from the flu viruses circulating this year. Your annual flu shot contains strains of the virus predicted to be the most common during the upcoming flu season.

Also Check: New Flu Vaccine For 65 And Older

Fight The Flu Without Risky Shots Free

The truth of the matter is you dont need risky, dangerous shots to keep yourself healthy. In fact, youll be a lot healthier if you keep chemical pollutants and pharmaceutical toxins out of your system entirely.

Is it even possible to avoid toxic flu shots yet still have a SAFE fighting chance at keeping yourself free from the flu? According to one unconventional doctor and the praise of tens of thousands of those she has helped, the answer is a resounding Yes!

And influenza is only one of the little bugs her unique therapy has brought relief from. Arthritis headaches chronic fatigue the list of successes goes on.

But it was her very success with a unique yet safe treatment that threatened the medical establishment with their much riskier solutions like vaccines, drugs and surgery. And at the age of 71 they JAILED her for two weeks without bail in an attempt to silence her.

They failed.

In fact, she lived just along enough to write an entire book on exactly how you can treat yourself naturally from flu and numerous other ailments. But she didnt want it sold. Instead, she would only allow it to be given away free.

Now, in her honor, Im giving away 500 copies of her book. Fight the flu. Arthritis. Diabetes. Even Cancer. Youll find out how in her book and if youre one of the first 500 to ask for it, its yours FREE.

Menb Vaccines Are Safe However As With Any Vaccine Side Effects Can Occur

Available data suggest that MenB vaccines are safe. More than half of the people who get a MenB vaccine have mild problems following vaccination:

  • Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
  • Feeling tired
  • Fever or chills
  • Nausea or diarrhea

If they occur, these reactions usually get better on their own within 3 to 5 days. Serious reactions are possible, but rare.

Teens are more likely to have side effects after MenB vaccination compared to other vaccines given to preteens and teens. Those other vaccines include HPV, MenACWY, and Tdap vaccines.

CDC continually monitors the safety of all vaccines, including MenB vaccines. For more information, view the Serogroup B Meningococcal Vaccine Information Statement.

Recommended Reading: Cdc Flu And Pneumonia Vaccine

Why Is The Shot Given In Your Arm

Muscle tissue, like that found in your arm, has a high concentration of blood vessels. This allows the cells of your immune system to effectively access and process the contents of the vaccine.

Additionally, a

  • Use cold therapy. Using an ice pack or a cool compress at the injection site can also reduce pain and swelling.
  • Are There Other Pandemic

    Trigger Point Injections

    There can be. The pandemic has caused a shift in several behaviors, and those can cause people to develop back pain, Dr. Boling says. They include:

    • Being more sedentary. If you lay around, youre much more likely to stiffen up a bit, Dr. Boling says. And, when youre stiff, youre more likely to pull a muscle in your back or feel some tightness. Research has found a link between being stuck at home under quarantine and back pain: One 2020 study of people in Saudi Arabia found that 38.8% of people reported having lower back pain before going into quarantine while 43.8% said they had back pain after.
    • Working from home.While plenty of people have returned to offices, that hasnt been the case for everyone. Just getting up, getting dressed, and going to work involves activity that moves the muscles around and makes them less stiff, Dr. Boling says. Your seating situation may also not be as ergonomic at home as it is at work, raising the risk that youll develop stiffness and aches that could lead to back pain, she says. One study published in 2021 found that 30% of people in Malta said they had chronic lower back pain pre-pandemic, and 49% had it afterwardand remote working may have been a contributing factor.
    • Stress. Stress has been huge over the past two years, and that can lead to serious aches and pain, Dr. Boling says. When youre stressed, you tighten up everywhere, she explains. That raises your risk of an injury.

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    If You Have 1 Of These 8 Side Effects The Cdc Says Seek Medical Care Urgently

    Since December, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved a COVID vaccine from Pfizer for emergency use, experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been explaining which vaccine side effects people should expect. But now, in the wake of the Johnson& Johnson vaccine being put on pause due to concerns of very rare, severe blood clots, the CDC has listed a new set of side effects to be aware of, even though the risk of experiencing this adverse reaction is very low. “We do not know enough yet to say if the vaccine is related to or caused this health issue,” the CDC says, but they’re playing it safe by pausing use of the vaccine. As the CDC and the FDA conduct a full investigation into the unusual reaction, the CDC is advising that if you notice specific changes to your body within three weeks of getting the Johnson& Johnson vaccine, you “seek medical care urgently.”

    Keep reading to learn about the eight vaccine side effects the CDC wants you to pay attention to if you got the Johnson& Johnson vaccine recently. And for more recent vaccine side effect news, check out Pfizer Caused This Reaction in Half of Recipients, New Study Says.

    Is The Nasal Spray As Effective As The Flu Shot

    In the past, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended against getting the nasal spray vaccine.

    The reason for this was because studies in children found that it was less effective than the flu shot for protecting against the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza strains.

    However, there have been recent advances in the production of the nasal spray vaccine.

    Since the 2018 to 2019 flu season, the

    • people with underlying health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, or cancer
    • those with weakened immune systems
    • individuals living in a nursing home or long-term care facility

    Getting your flu shot is also particularly important in light of COVID-19. Both the flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms and will circulate within communities this winter.

    While the flu vaccine wont protect you from COVID-19, it can help prevent you from getting the flu.

    In addition to keeping you out of the doctors office, this can also conserve medical resources for those that have COVID-19 or other health conditions.

    Don’t Miss: Difference Between Regular Flu Shot And High Dose

    Most Health Insurance Plans Pay For Menb Vaccination For Teens And Young Adults

    Most health plans must cover CDC-recommended vaccines with no out-of-pocket costs if an in-network healthcare provider administers the vaccine. Check with your insurance provider for details on whether there is any cost to you for this vaccine.

    The Vaccines for Children, or VFC, program provides vaccines for children 18 years old and younger who are

    • Not insured
    • Medicaid-eligible
    • American Indian or Alaska Native

    Parents can find a VFC provider by contacting their local health department. VFC will cover the cost of MenB vaccination for those

    • 16 through 18 years old
    • 10 through 18 years old at increased risk due to a medical condition
    • 10 through 18 years old identified as being at increased risk due to a serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak

    Can Vaccines Cause Transverse Myelitis

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    Transverse myelitis from a vaccine is rare. However, there are several vaccines that have been linked to this condition. They include vaccines for seasonal influenza , hepatitis B, measles mumps rubella and diphtheria tetanus pertussis . These vaccines are included in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, which helps people with vaccine injuries recover their losses.

    When transverse myelitis is caused by a vaccine, the symptoms can begin from a few days up to three months after the vaccination.

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    Fatigue After The Second Shot

    Fauci also recalled how following his second shot, “towards the evening, I started to feel a bit fatigued.” But, he assured, “it didn’t prevent me from coming to work. I did everything I do normally on a working day.” Then, he said, he “went to bed, woke up, a little bit better the next day.”

    Fatigue was another common side effect among vaccine recipients in the Moderna trial, with 70 percent of them reporting this side effect. And if you’re worried your sleepiness is due to the virus, check out This Is How to Tell If Your Fatigue Could Be COVID, Doctors Say.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

    How To Treat Flu Shot Side Effects

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    Usually, any side effects you might get from the flu vaccine go away on their own within a day or twobut you dont have to tough it out if you really feel run down. Try these self-care measures to feel better ASAP:

    For muscle aches, headache, or flu-like symptoms, take a pain reliever, such as Tylenol or ibuprofen.

    For arm pain after the flu shot, apply a cool compress.

    The same goes for side effects of the nasal flu vaccine. Treatment is based on a persons symptoms, Dr. Kemmerly says. All in all, minor aches are a small price to pay for the vast protection the flu vaccine provides for both you and those around you.

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    Recommended Reading: How Much Is The Flu Shot For Dogs

    How Severe Will My Back Pain Be

    It differs in every case. Some diagnosed with COVID-19 may experience no back pain, while some may experience intense pain.

    Intense back pain is caused by your bodys immune system, which, when fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses, becomes inflamed. This can cause a hot, painful feeling in all areas of the back. Having said this, having back pain doesnt automatically mean that you have COVID-19. There are many causes of moderate to severe back pain, which weve listed below.

    Your Pain Extends To Other Body Parts

    Cardiovascular disease diet

    If you’re experiencing severe back pain that is coupled with pain in other areas such as shooting pain down your leg then you should see a doctor. This could be a sign that you have sciatica, a form of pain that affects the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back and through the buttocks before branching down each leg. This condition usually results from a herniated disk. A doctor will be able to offer a variety of ways that you can relieve this pain.

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