Do You Have A Vaccine Shoulder Injury
Shoulder Tendonitis after a Flu shot? You’re not alone – it is one of the most common vaccine shoulder injuries eligible for compensation under the VICP.
shoulder pain after a vaccine?
Shoulder Tendonitis from vaccine administration happens often.
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Tiny Red Spots On Your Skin
Tiny red spots on your skin, also known as petechiae, are another reason to contact your health provider after getting vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson shot, the CDC says. The small round spots show up on the skin as a result of bleeding and can appear red, purple, or brown, Mayo Clinic explains.
Why Does It Happen
The symptoms of SIRVA stem from the shot going into the wrong part of your upper arm or due to trauma from the needle. Research suggests that this brings on inflammation, and it could injure body parts inside your shoulder like:
- Ligaments. These tough bands of tissue connect two bones in a joint.
- Tendons. These thick cords connect muscles to bones.
- Bursae. These fluid-filled sacs cushion bones, tendons, and muscles.
Also Check: Why Do Your Arm Hurt After A Flu Shot
Can You Get A Rotator Cuff Injury From A Flu Shot
The short answer is yes. The seasonal flu shot can cause SIRVA injuries like rotator cuff injuries. You can even get tendonitis or bursitis from a flu shot. As we discussed above, a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration is often caused by vaccines being injected too high up on the arm.
Any vaccine injected into the shoulder can cause shoulder pain and injury, but not all vaccinations are covered under the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. These covered vaccines are recommended by the CDC for children and pregnant women.
Fortunately, the seasonal influenza vaccine is covered by the VICP.
There are more cases of people getting a shoulder injury from the flu shot because folks get them annually. If youre experiencing severe shoulder pain from a flu shot, our expert vaccine lawyers can help. Reach out to us to schedule your free consultation today.
More Stories Of Shoulder Pain From Flu Shots:

We are not totally convinced that every story of long lasting shoulder pain is due to bad technique. The newer, more potent vaccines may also have something to do with it. Here are a few more reader stories:
This comes from Sally:
My shoulder hurt right after the shot was given. The shot itself hurt to the point I was about to yell out a big ole OWW Thats Enough!
The pain has moved from the front of my shoulder to covering the whole top of it, to the tip of my deltoid! The pain moves to a different place every day! Its so creepy. I cant rake the yard or sweep a floor unless I want to be in 100% complete agony for two days afterward.
If I get on the treadmill at the gym or do any exercise at all, it sets it off so bad that I feel like I am giving birth to an alien species through my arm! I have had an X-ray, MRI and I am now on my way to physical therapy. Everyone is stumped.
I just want to be able to drive myself around, pull up the blankets on my bed with my left arm without searing pain like I just ripped my arm open. I want the mysterious strange worm-like jolts to stop. I swear some days it feels like there is something crawling or wiggling around in there. Getting the flu for two weeks is far better than the six months of pure hell I am going through!
Here is Sharons story:
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Compensation For A Vaccine Shoulder Injury
Compensation for vaccine-related shoulder dysfunction includes: reimbursement of medical expenses applicable lost wages and pain and suffering.
If you or someone you know has suffered from tendonitis following a vaccination, you may be entitled to compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Contact our vaccine injury lawyers for a free consultation at 229-7704.
What Can I Do About My Symptoms
To start, get a medical evaluation from your primary care provider. Your provider may include diagnostic imaging tests as part of the evaluation. Discuss a treatment plan based on the findings.
Treatment options and duration of symptoms can vary, but the most common treatments include:
- Physical Therapy to improve range of motion, restore muscle function, and relieve inflammation
- Anti-inflammatory medications to reduce inflammation and relieve pain
- Corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and relieve pain
- At-home stretching programs to increase range of motion and,
- Surgery in severe cases, surgery may be required to repair damage.
Improvement in symptoms and recovery times are variable. Some people experience improvement early in treatment, while others may suffer with symptoms for much longer. Unfortunately, some people never fully recover.
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Are You Feeling Pain Or A Frozen Feeling After A Recent Vaccination
Like any medication, a vaccine can have side effects.
Some people do experience soreness or tenderness in their arm or shoulder near the injection site. Mild soreness at the injection site is considered a routine reaction to many vaccines. The soreness often goes away without further problems.
In rare instances, however, a vaccination can result in severe and longer-lasting shoulder pain and bursitis after vaccination. The pain can be accompanied by weakness and difficulty moving the affected arm. Some sufferers describe the feeling of their shoulder being frozen. This kind of severe reaction is referred to as Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration, or SIRVA.
Q: Can You Get The Flu From A Vaccination
A: No, you cannot get the flu from the vaccine. The viruses in the vaccine are inactivated and incapable of causing the flu. Instead, the person is protected from the flu by antibodies that are formed by their own immune systems response to the vaccine. While flu-like symptoms usually occur within 6-12 hours of receiving the vaccine and last 1-2 days. This is a reaction common to many vaccines. 6-12 hours of receiving the vaccine and last 1-2 days. This is a reaction common to many vaccines.
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What Serious Side Effects Mean I Should Call My Doctor
The flu vaccine will not give you the flu. However, some people do experience side effects. While redness, swelling, muscle aches and sometimes low-grade fevers are typical side effects after receiving an influenza vaccination, there can be some rare and serious side effects including difficulty breathing and swelling around the eyes or lips. If you are experiencing dizziness, a racing heart or a high fever seek medical attention right away.
“If you develop full body hives, you are having an allergic reaction to the vaccine,” says Dr. Mora. The most common allergic reaction is found in people allergic to eggs. This is because egg proteins are one of the products in the flu vaccine. However, if you have an egg allergy, you can still get the flu shot. Talk to your doctor about the best way to get vaccinated.
Causes And Risk Factors
Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration is an uncommon and often preventable iatrogenic event. Epidemiological data are sparse and cases may be under-reported. We identified 61 SIRVA cases in a semistructured literature review, and summarized the patients presenting symptoms, vaccine and clinical course . Currently, 6 SIRVA cases related to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been published in addition to these 2 cases, including 1 in Brazil and 1 in Thailand related to the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, a second case in Thailand related to the SinovacCoronaVac vaccine and 3 cases in the United States related to mRNA vaccines . Existing evidence does not associate SIRVA with particular vaccines and risk of SIRVA across vaccines is therefore likely equivalent.
The exact cause of SIRVA is unknown, but it may be an immune-mediated reaction to both viral antigens and vaccine adjuvants. 2 The inflammatory response is not vaccine-specific, but is theorized to be caused by exposing a previously sensitized patient, either naturally or through previous vaccines, to the viral antigen. Similar to the recently reported case in Brazil, the first patient we present in this report had SIRVA after her first dose of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. We hypothesized that the patient either had exposure to SARS-CoV-2 or to adenovirus, a component of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine .
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What Are The Most Common Signs And Symptoms Of Sirva
SIRVA itself is not one single medical diagnosis. It covers many types of shoulder injuries, signs, and symptoms.
Immediately following the vaccination, you may experience some pain thats not going away. But you may be asking yourself, How do I know if I have SIRVA? What does SIRVA feel like?
Most people with a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration will experience at least three of the following symptoms:
Severe shoulder pain
The most telltale symptom of SIRVA is severe shoulder pain that begins within 48 hours of injection. Pain can be intermittent or persistent, and often becomes worse when you use the affected arm. The pain may keep you up at night and not go away with over-the-counter medication.
If you have a shoulder injury from a vaccine, you will likely lose some mobility in your injured arm. Tasks that were once easy to do, such as dressing yourself or unloading the dishwasher, become almost impossible.
Weakness or loss of strength
Along with a limited range of motion, your arm will start to lose its strength. Lifting groceries out of the car or pushing yourself off the ground may now be impossible for you.
Inflammation or swelling near the injection site
SIRVA also causes inflammation in the shoulder joint itself. You may experience swelling, and your shoulder may hurt when you touch it.
Arm pain
Some people with SIRVA injuries experience radiating pain that travels from their shoulder to their arm. It can be throbbing and sometimes intense.
Cal D Yes Five Days Is Best

Five days of antibiotic treatment for flareups is recommended,2 although in practice this may vary according to bronchodilator response.1 Duration of antibiotics for patients should be established during counselling or by contacting the prescriber.3Cautionary advisory label D should be endorsed with the length of treatment and added to the labelling to reinforce essential treatment advice provided in counselling.
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How Does The Pneumonia Vaccine Work
Many people experience pain at the injection site after getting the pneumonia vaccine. The pain you are experiencing is usually soreness of the muscle where the injection was given. Injection site pain and most other common side effects are actually a good sign it indicates that your body is starting to build immunity against pneumococcal diseases.
More severe reactions to a pneumococcal vaccination means you are likely allergic to an ingredient in the vaccination.
How Is It Diagnosed
Talk to your doctor if you have bad pain or trouble moving your shoulder after you get vaccinated in the upper arm.
Theyâll ask you about your symptoms, and they may do a physical exam. They might do tests to rule out other conditions that could bring on similar symptoms, like an infection or a rheumatic disease like arthritis.
They may also recommend imaging tests like:
- Ultrasound. This uses sound waves to take a picture inside your body.
- MRI. This uses a magnet and radio waves to see inside your body.
They doctor might diagnose you with SIRVA if:
- Your shoulder felt fine before the vaccine shot.
- Your symptoms started within a certain number of hours of days afterward.
- The symptoms are only in the arm and shoulder area where you got jabbed.
- Tests donât spot signs of another health problem that would explain the symptoms.
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Q: Is Flu Considered Serious
A: For healthy children and adults, the flu is typically a moderately severe illness, however, most people are back on their feet within a week. For people who are not healthy or well to begin with, the flu can be very severe and even fatal. Symptoms have a greater impact on these people and, in addition, complications can occur. Most of these complications are bacterial infections due to the body being severely weakened by the flu such that its defences against bacteria are low. Bacterial pneumonia is the most common complication of the flu while the sinuses and inner ears may also become inflamed and painful.
Redness Or Swelling At The Injection Site
Anytime you pierce the skin and put something into the body it can cause a topical reaction, says Dr. Adalja. This is just a sign that your immune system is activating.
But this redness and swelling where you get your shot is a common side effect that only typically lasts a few days. Itll go away on its own, but if its really bugging you, you can take ibuprofen or acetominophen .
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Q: What Is Influenza And How Is It Transmitted
A: Influenza, or the flu as it is commonly called, is a highly contagious respiratory viral illness and is most common during the winter months. Influenza A and B are the major types of flu viruses that infect the body and can cause serious illness, and even death, in people of all ages. When someone with the flu sneezes or coughs, the virus is expelled into the air and may be inhaled by anyone close by.
Treatments For Pneumonia Vaccine Side Effects
Side effects after receiving the pneumonia vaccine are usually mild. They typically resolve on their own within a few days. If you feel feverish, pain relievers and fever reducers like acetaminophen and NSAIDs like ibuprofen can help.
If you experience any noticeable side effects, report them to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. In the rare event that the pneumonia vaccine causes a serious problem, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program may be able to offer financial help.
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A Nurse Suffered Long Lasting Shoulder Pain:
Pharmacists are not the only ones who may have a problem.
We also heard from a nurse:
As a nurse, I am required to get the flu vaccine. I did so this year in September at my local drugstore. I started experiencing pain the next day, and now, approximately a month later, I have limited range of motion above my head, a constant pain throughout the day and if I roll over on my left side at night, the pain wakes me up.
I reported this to my physician four days ago. He said, Its probably a pinched nerve in your neck.
When I mentioned the possibility of an adverse reaction to the flu vaccine or the technique, he immediately dismissed the idea. This is NOT a normal reaction to the flu vaccine. Id like to get the word out to the public, especially physicians.
What Arm Should I Get My Flu Shot In

Dr. Mora recommends getting the flu shot in the arm you use the least. “That way if you are writing or doing day-to-day activities, you’re not aggravating the muscle even more,” she says.Some other ways to reduce pain include trying not to tense your arm while you’re being vaccinated and moving your arm after vaccination to increase blood flow and help disperse the vaccine throughout the area.
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Is It Normal To Feel Neck Pain With A Cold
Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine.
Neck pain, or a sore neck, can be a regular symptom of the common cold or flu. In other instances, neck pain may be the sign of a potentially serious medical condition like meningitis. Knowing the difference can help you make the right choice if neck pain and cold symptoms co-occur.
Brianna Gilmartin / Verywell
Are There Any Other Options For The Flu Vaccine Besides Getting A Shot
In addition to the flu shot, a nasal spray vaccine is also available. You may see this vaccine referred to as FluMist or the live attenuated influenza vaccine .
This vaccine is sprayed into your nose. Unlike the flu shot, it contains active influenza viruses. However, these vaccine viruses have been weakened so they wont cause an infection.
Like the flu shot, the nasal spray has some potential side effects. These can be different in adults and children and can include:
The nasal spray vaccine is approved for individuals ages 2 to 49. Its not recommended for certain groups, such as pregnant people and those with a weakened immune system.
If youre interested in receiving the nasal spray vaccine, talk with your doctor about whether its a safe option for you.
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What Is The Evidence
Research shows that when seeking information about the contents of a substance, friends are the most common source of information followed by the dealer.25 Drug check reporting websites that test substances and publish results are also frequently accessed by service users.25 Only a minority of people who use drugs in Australia have their drugs tested, either with at-home reagent kits or through a professional service .25
Despite critics of drug checking services citing a lack of evidence for harm reduction, a recently published systematic review suggests that the presence of drug checking services, in combination with healthcare consultations and an early warning system, is effective in reducing harms.27 A study conducted by The Loop found a 95% decrease in drug-related hospital admissions at a festival in 2016 compared with the previous year, where no drug checking was conducted, with the change attributed to increased awareness of mis-selling and the presence of contaminants, as well as alerts made via social media and word of mouth.28
Related to this is evidence to suggest that drug checking services can alter drug markets, so people can make more informed decisions about what they choose to purchase. For example, over the 30 years that the Netherlands DIMS service has been running, the contents of MDMA pills have been found to be increasingly more consistent with expectations, and there has been a decrease in poor quality, adulterated or dangerous substances.30