Why Give Shots In The Arm
While the gluteus maximus in your butt is a very large muscle, there are some advantages to targeting the deltoid muscle in your shoulder.
First, the deltoid has less fat surrounding it than the gluteus maximus. Most vaccinesincluding the flu shotdont work as well when they are injected into fatty tissue. Second, your sciatic nerve runs down your lower back and into your bottom. A health care provider would risk irritating that nerveand causing you debilitating pain called sciaticaif they administered a flu shot to your butt.
Third, its more convenient to administer a flu shot to a bare shoulder than to a bare butt.
Pain After A Shot: Normal Site Reactions To Vaccines
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , in most cases vaccine side effects are minor and go away within a few days. Side effects vary according to vaccine type, such as flu, shingles, or pneumonia. Generally mild side effects of vaccines may include:
- Pain, redness, tenderness, or swelling at injection site
- Fatigue
Will Pain And Other Symptoms Be Worse After Receiving A Second Shot
It may be. While everyones immune system is unique, it is not unusual for injection site reactions pain, swelling, or redness or other side effects to be worse with booster shots. While this is most often seen with routine childhood immunizations that require multiple injections, it can happen with adult immunizations as well, including the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine and the two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
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Can You Prevent Arm Pain Before Your Flu Vaccine
There aren’t really any good hacks to lower your risk of arm pain ahead of time, Jamie Alan, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology at Michigan State University, tells Health. “You can pre-medicate with something like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but there is some evidence that taking these medications may make vaccinations less effective,” she says.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention backs this up: In listing out considerations to take before getting your COVID-19 vaccine specifically, the CDC says it’s “not recommended” to take over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen before you get the vaccine to prevent side effects. That’s because “it is not known how these medications might affect how well the vaccine works,” the CDC says.
Basically, without a ton of conclusive evidence on how, if, or why pain relievers may impact vaccine effectiveness, you’ll probably want to err on the side of caution and skip them before your shot .
Another tip: Alan says it’s a good idea to relax your arm “as much as possible” before your shot to keep your muscles from tensing and prevent the needle from having to work a little harder to get in there.
And, while this won’t necessarily change whether you’re sore or not after, it’s generally a good idea to get your vaccine in your non-dominant arm, Dr. Schaffner says. “If you do get a sore arm, it will interfere less with your function,” he says. “You can write more easily and do the usual things.”
How To Avoid A Sore Arm After A Flu Shot
Its flu season, which means many of us are heading to our doctor or local clinic for a flu shot . As we continue to battle COVID-19, flu shots are more important than ever before.
No one wants to be hit with both viruses. The good news is that with one flu shot each fall, you can significantly lower your chances by 40% to 60% of contracting the flu .
But are you one of the few who walks away from your shot feeling like youve been punched in the arm? Not everyone gets a sore arm, but it is common, and the reason actually may surprise you.
Some individuals may develop swelling, a mild, low-grade fever and some moderate pain localized to where they received the shot, said Devin Minior, MD, chief medical officer for Banner Urgent Care. This is a natural response, and it means that your body’s immune system is working to build up a defense against the flu virus.
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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.
Why Is Your Arm Sore After A Shot
Some arm soreness after vaccination is totally normal. It’s part of your body’s natural response to a needle piercing of your deltoid as well as to the chemicals within the syringe.
According to the CDC, post-vaccine discomfort is a sign that your body is building protection against the novel coronavirus. “Inflammation is a normal part of your immune system’s response to developing a defense,” Volkl says. “Your immune system activates chemicals to help respond to the vaccine, which can result in localized swelling and pain in the area of the injection.”
That said, if you don’t have a sore arm after the COVID vaccine, it doesn’t mean the vaccine didn’t work. So consider yourself lucky!
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Reducing Needle Fear And Pain
Research on the most effective pain-management strategies for vaccinations is limited. Still, some interventions for reducing discomfort and/or fear are worth trying. Some of what follows is for children only others are for adults, too.
Model calmness. Parents’ behavior is key in reducing kids distress when they’re getting immunized, suggests research published in 2017 in the journal Pain. So, calmly explain whats going to happenfor example, that it will briefly stingand act as composed as you possibly can before and during the vaccination.
Use distraction techniques. Diverting your childs attention temporarily can be helpful, according to the CDC. Strategies can include playing music or reading a book. Adults can try the same diversions, or others, such as deep-breathing exercises.
Ask your doctor about numbing cream. Prescription topical creams that contain lidocaine and prilocaine can cut vaccine pain in half, the University of Toronto’s Taddio says, and both children and adults can use these. The creams take anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes to become fully effective, depending on the brand. Taddio suggests bringing cream to the doctors office and asking the nurse when you first arrive to show you where the shot will be given, so youll be sure to numb the right area in advance.
The Trick To Stop Your Arm Aching After Your Covid Jab Revealed
- Vanessa Chalmers, Digital Health Reporter
- 10:44 ET, Jun 2 2021
- Vanessa Chalmers, Digital Health Reporter
- Invalid Date,
AROUND the world people are rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated against Covid.
This handy trick can prevent you getting a sore arm after – one of the most common side effects.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest updates
Its going viral on TikTok, but unlike many trends on the video streaming platform, this one actually makes sense, experts say.
People who have had the vaccine in the past few hours swing their arm around in a windmill motion, like they are backwards swimming.
A user who goes by Chelly said this sh*t better work so my arm doesnt hurt tomorrow.
And it should work, according to Dr Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at University of California San Francisco.
He told local news site SFGATE: It actually does make sense to me as an infectious disease doctor. Basically, what theyre doing is increasing the blood supply to the arm thats vaccinated.
The Covid vaccine is jabbed into the upper arm where the muscle is.
This can cause a sore arm in at least one in ten people, according to trial data of Covid vaccines, as well as pain at the injection site, swelling and sometimes a rash.
Dr Chin-Hong said: It remains local, so the first thing your immune system is going to say is, Hey, theres this foreign invader in here.
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How Do I Treat Post
It’s not too difficult to alleviate post-vaccine soreness at your injection site. “Icing the injection site for 20 minutes several times a day can help to reduce discomfort,” Dr. Jain says. If you’ve experienced bruising from the needle disrupting any blood vessels, that should fade on its own within a couple of weeks.
When icing doesn’t feel like it’s enough to ease your discomfort, Dr. Jain tells Bustle that it’s generally alright to take an OTC pain reliever like Tylenol. “Ideally, you want to let the immune system do its job and to not interfere with the inflammatory response,” he explains. “However, if you are experiencing extreme discomfort due to the symptoms caused by this inflammatory response, you can take Tylenol. The relief provided by Tylenol should not affect the efficacy of the vaccine.” That’s good news for both your arm and your immune system.
Experts:
Dr. Sanjeev Jain, M.D., doctor double-board certified in immunology and internal medicine, Columbia Asthma and Allergy Clinic
Sore Arm After Vaccine Thats Normal
Side effects after receiving a vaccination are normal and arent necessarily cause for concern. Mild injection site pain and irritation are common after receiving many vaccinations, including the COVID-19 vaccine. In fact, about 65% to 82% of people will have injection site pain with the COVID vaccine, and more specifically, if youve gotten the Moderna shot.
The COVID vaccine, along with many vaccines in general, can cause common side effects to occur such as:
- Redness or soreness at the site of injection
- Muscle aches
- Fever or chills
- Headache
Arm pain is likely to begin within 24 hours of vaccination and lasts a few days after the vaccine is administered, says Grant Anderson, Ph.D., an associate professor in the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. A sore arm after a COVID shot is the most common side effect, and according to Anderson, only 25% of vaccinated people report experiencing side effects other than arm pain.
Some vaccines can hurt more than others. Along with the COVID vaccine, the shingles vaccine, Shingrix, can cause more and longer-lasting pain than other vaccines. The flu vaccine, on the other hand, usually causes less pain, explains Anderson.
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How Can I Alleviate My Arm Pain
Swelling, redness and soreness are common after the flu shot and can last 24-48 hours. “If you always experience soreness or swelling after a flu vaccination, take an ibuprofen about 2 hours prior to vaccination,” suggests Dr. Mora. “You can also try icing the injection site to reduce redness and swelling and taking another dose of ibuprofen to ease any soreness or swelling.”
Will I Feel Pain Only Around The Injection Site
Most of the time, the pain or discomfort you feel after a vaccination is limited to the area where you received the shot. But muscle aches are also a possible vaccine side effect. These might feel similar to what you feel shortly before getting sick with a cold or the seasonal flu. This is different from injection pain, as this side effect usually affects your whole body instead of just your arm.
These aches are a sign your immune system is responding to and learning from the vaccine and can also be alleviated with your over-the-counter pain reliever of choice.
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Things You Can Do To Minimize Covid
Worried about post-shot side effects? They’re pretty much always no sweatand are often completely non-existent or almost unnoticeable, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
If symptoms do present themselves, they most often won’t interfere much with your day. Arm pain, minor swelling or redness near the injection site, tiredness, low-grade fever, headache, chills and nausea are the most common side effects, per the CDC, and these generally fade away within 24 to 48 hours after you receive your shot.
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With that said, if you are among the population who experiences symptoms after your first dose of a vaccine that requires two doses , “it is important not to let that dissuade you from receiving the second doseunless there are any concerns about a potential allergic reaction,” says Prathit Kulkarni, M.D., an assistant professor of infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. “In that case, these should be discussed with a healthcare provider prior to receiving the second dose,” he says.
Getting vaccinated helps protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Here are five things you can do before and after your first and second dose to ease any of the potential aches and pains.
Quick Ways To Relieve Covid Vaccine Arm Pain And Swelling
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has been going on for a year and a half at this point. While there are still new cases being reported, there is now a silver lining in the form of multiple vaccines that are being administered globally.
That said, its important to take note of the possible side effects from the vaccines like headache, fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle pain, itchiness and generally feeling unwell. Such side effects may affect your daily activities but should go away in a day or two. One common side effect is arm pain and swelling. The pain in your arm is your immune systems response to the vaccine, causing inflammation. If youre scheduled to be vaccinated soon, here are seven ways to help relieve any arm pain and swelling after getting your vaccine.
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When To Call The Doctor
Side effects can affect you or your childs ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.
In most cases, discomfort from pain or fever is a normal sign that the body is building protection. Contact a doctor or healthcare provider:
- If the redness or tenderness where the shot was given gets worse after 24 hours
- If the side effects are worrying or do not seem to be going away after a few days
If you or your child get a COVID-19 vaccine and you think you or they might be having a severe allergic reaction after leaving the vaccination site, seek immediate medical care by calling 911. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and rare severe allergic reactions.
How To Minimize Arm Pain After Getting The Flu Shot
These tips should help to lessen the soreness at the injection site.
Flu season is almost here, and with the added concern of the COVID-19 virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommend that everyone who is 6 months old and older get the flu vaccine.
Some people may hesitate to get the flu vaccine because they believe the flu shot will give them the flu or because theyre afraid of the pain that comes with getting shots. While taking the sting out of the injection entirely may not be possible for many people, there are ways to minimize the pain both during and after the injection.
First, its important to understand why your arm hurts after the flu vaccine. The most obvious factor is that the vaccine introduces a needle into the arm muscle and injects fluid into it.
But its not just the needle thats bothersome. For some vaccine recipients, there is swelling and pain at or near the injection site for a couple of days after receiving the shot. This reaction is considered to be a good sign by doctors.
The reason why your arm specifically is sore is that your immune system is giving you a robust response to the flu vaccination,Dr. Juanita Mora told the American Lung Associations blog, Every Breath.
The good news is that you can help reduce the discomfort from the flu shot by taking a few simple actions.
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Fatigue Fever And Headaches
For a fever, the CDC recommends people drink lots of fluids and dress lightly. Rest and relaxation is the answer for fatigue and tiredness. Many doctors suggest people avoid scheduling their vaccine appointment before a busy day, so they’re able to rest if they feel sluggish afterward.
Dr. Daniel Griffin, head of infectious diseases for ProHEALTH, said people should also try to make sure they’re feeling OK before they get their vaccine.
“We’ve noticed health care workers in particular who are working long hours, not taking great care of themselves, they’re dehydrated, hungry that’s not a great situation to be in to go get vaccinated,” he said. “Get a good night’s sleep. Get something to eat and drink. If you go in to get your vaccine feeling pretty good, then you’re going to feel better after.”
There’s been some confusion over whether it’s safe to take over-the-counter painkillers before or after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. On TODAY Friday, Dr. Vin Gupta clarified the guidance, explaining that people should avoid taking painkillers before getting the vaccine, but saying that it’s OK to take something afterward if symptoms develop.
“Between Tylenol and Motrin, I would recommend going with Tylenol,” he said. “We think that’s going to interfere less with the antibody response, the antibody production, after your immune system sees the vaccine.”
As Agwu put it, “If you need to take something for your headache, then by all means, please do that.”