Vaccination and Shoulder Pain: Prevention and Treatment
Shoulder pain after a vaccine injection is common, but it usually subsides within one or two days. Many people describe the pain as being focused on the muscle on the outer side of the shoulder. This is the result of local irritation of the muscles. When this painful sensation occurs, ice therapy, certain anti-inflammatory medications and rest will usually allow the symptoms to subside. However, shoulder pain after vaccination can sometimes become a chronic problem. What happens if the symptoms are painful and persist?
What causes shoulder pain after vaccination?
Persistent chronic pain following vaccination is scientifically known as SIRVA, an acronym for Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration.
Shoulder pain is believed to result from the vaccine being administered into the shoulder joint or the subacromial space rather than into the deltoid muscle. When the vaccine is injected into these areas, it may trigger a severe immune response and subsequent inflammation of the tendons and ligaments of the shoulder.
While it is clear that incorrect administration of a vaccine into the shoulder joint can cause a severe inflammatory response and chronic shoulder pain, it is also clear that vaccines are effective in preventing life-threatening diseases.
What are the symptoms of SIRVA?
Typical symptoms include:
- Significant chronic shoulder pain that began within 48 hours after vaccination
- Limited shoulder mobility
- A feeling of weakness in the upper limb
- No previous history of shoulder pain or injury
How is shoulder pain after vaccination treated?
Shoulder pain after vaccination is treated with therapies aimed at controlling inflammation, such as oral anti-inflammatory medications and local cortisone injections. Physiotherapy may also occasionally be required. Patients with SIRVA very rarely require surgical treatment. Conservative treatment has very high success rates.
How can we prevent shoulder pain after vaccination?
There are several steps that can be taken to help ensure that vaccination does not lead to chronic pain and SIRVA.
- Proper training of the staff administering the vaccine regarding shoulder anatomy and the correct site for vaccine administration.
- The needle should not be too long. A long needle may result in the vaccine being injected into the wrong area of the shoulder.
- Remove your shirt or wear a shirt that you can pull up over your shoulder; in other words, do not pull your shirt down and expose only the top of your shoulder. Placing the needle too high may result in inadvertent administration of the vaccine into the shoulder joint or the subacromial region.
If you have pain that persists for more than a few days, make sure to inform your doctor.
Vaccines administered in the shoulder area are extremely safe, and there is no doubt that the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks associated with these injections. If shoulder pain after vaccination persists, contact the specialist orthopaedic surgeon Andreas Leonidou. The doctor will examine you and recommend the appropriate treatment plan for you.
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