topic Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection in Wellness

Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

BunSnoop — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 02:14:05 GMT

A week ago today had my annual physical. Received 2 injections - a flu shot and a tetanus injection both in my left arm.

The first night the pain was so bad I could not sleep. Pain from my shoulder all the way down the arm to the knuckles in my hand.

Got better gradually each day. However last night during dinner I reached over the table and felt the pain all over again in my arm. The pain has been present now all day. Not severe, but very uncomfortable - especially when reaching to get in a cabinet, pull a top over my head, etc.

Has anyone else experienced something simiar to this? How long did it take to get better?

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

ALRATIBA — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 02:24:02 GMT

Years ago I was advised after shots ... be sure to "exercise" your arm to prevent soreness.

So - every year when I get my flu shot I use my 3 lb weights during commercials while watching TV. No more soreness!

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Sameolmollysmama — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 02:39:13 GMT

What did your doctor's nurse say? I believe I would report a response that severe, although tetanus shots ARE painful.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

ChouChou — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 02:40:33 GMT

Tetanus shots are extremely painful for several days after the injection. The flu shot not so much. It should get better in about a week or so. We always told our patients to take Tylenol or Motrin to lessen the pain.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

gizmogal — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 02:42:01 GMT

Very common to have pain as you describe after tetanus shot. Stiffness and ache will dissipate in just a few days more. Flu shot is not the likely culprit—flu shot often gets itchy at injection site but no lasting ache. Tetanus shot discomfort can be rather vivid for a few days. Take heart, you will soon notice your arm feeling way better.

Gentle heat (not hot) from a heating pad or a soak in a warm tub will help ease ache. Tylenol is ok for relief while sleeping.

Feel better soon. Rejoice: tetanus shots are usually needed 10 years apart!

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

alicedee — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 02:48:18 GMT

@BunSnoop I had the same two injections at my physical right after Thanksgiving. I don't remember ever being sore after getting a shot in the past, but my arm was quite sore this time for about 4 days.

Not as bad as you described, though...just a sore spot at the injection site. I probably would have called the office if that had been the case.

Hope everything is back to normal for you now.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Moonchilde — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 03:02:43 GMT

I would never, ever get any additional shot when getting a tetanus shot. Tetanus shots are extremely well known for being second only to rabies and iron shots as far as painful. I would have refused the flu shot or the tetanus shot so as not to get them together.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Sooner — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 03:34:35 GMT

I had a HUGE lump on my arm from the tetnus/whooping cough shot and it hurt and was hot and read for days. Then the next year I got whooping cough.

NO reaction whatsoever this year from the flu shot. I heard they are only 10 percent effective, so I guess NO pain no gain. One year my arm hurt so bad I couldn't sleep for days. My husband made fun of me until HE got one a few days later then wah wah wah wah! LOL!!!

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

CelticCrafter — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 12:25:03 GMT

They say the tetanus shot is painful.

I don't know, the last one I had was due to an infected cat scratch and I guess that was so painful I didn't notice the pain from the shot.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Jersey Born — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 12:43:18 GMT

You may be having either a reaction to your injections, or you may possibly have a SIRVA injury. I am not a doctor, and I am not trying to make a diagnosis, but I truly think you should see a doctor and fully document what is happening to your arm. SIRVA (shoulder injury related to vaccine administration) injuries, while uncommon, can and do happen, and they can be debilitating.

I found this description of SIRVA injuries on a site called VeryWell, written by a board certified physician named Jonathan Cluett, MD:

"SIRVA is thought to be the result of incorrect placement of the vaccine into the shoulder joing or the shoulder bursa, rather than into the deltoid muscle tissue. When the vaccine is injected into the synovial tissue of the joint or bursa, an immune response may occur causing severe inflammation. Typical symptoms of SIRVA include:

Significant chronic shoulder after a vaccination
No prior problems with the shoulder
Limited mobility of the shoulder joint

Patients diagnosed with SIRVA may find relief with treatments targeted at controlling the inflammation such as oral medications and cortisone injections.

Rarely is surgery necessary for the treatment of this condition, although the effective treatment of SIRVA can take months for resolution."

I hope your problem resolves itself, but either way, your doctor should be informed about your atypical pain post injection, and that doctor, or someone else, should take a look at your arm and evaluate it.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Abrowneyegirl — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 13:47:23 GMT

After my last tetnus shot I also had a "terrible" reaction similar to the one you descibe in the OP.

My arm also swelled, I looked like Popeye for at least a week.. The pain and weakness continued on and off for months.

I spoke to several specialists who all told me my reaction is not that uncommon and that I should only get a tetnus vac after a specific exposure, NOT every 10 years.

Apparently the risk for tetnus is only in very specific situations. I was not aware of these facts or details.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

tobes — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 13:59:15 GMT

yes - a couple weeks

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Pink is happy — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 16:18:32 GMT

@Abrowneyegirl wrote:
After my last tetnus shot I also had a "terrible" reaction similar to the one you descibe in the OP.
My arm also swelled, I looked like Popeye for at least a week.. The pain and weakness continued on and off for months.
I spoke to several specialists who all told me my reaction is not that uncommon and that I should only get a tetnus vac after a specific exposure, NOT every 10 years.
Apparently the risk for tetnus is only in very specific situations. I was not aware of these facts or details.

This is correct, mememe.

My doctor (dept head of immunology) also says, people are over vaccinated for tetnaus.

When you get a big reaction, from a tetnaus shot, that is an indication, you did not need it.

You are able, to take a tetnaus titer test, and it will tell you, if you are still covered, and do not need a booster. That is what I do.

He said, most adults do not need additional shots.

The tetnaus titer test, is a simple blood draw test, I had it done, along with others during a checkup.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Anita Hug — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 16:23:34 GMT

Count me in as one who also had a bad reaction to my last tetanus shot. It actually didn't start getting bad until a couple of days after the shot, and the reaction was strange. I had severe pain in my armpit, and the nodes were extremely tender to the touch. At first I thought I had some dread disease, lol. It finally dawned on me that that was the same side I had the tetanus shot, so I googled it. Others also had similar painful reactions, so I wasn't dying, lol. It was awful. I used warm compresses for almost a week until it finally started to go away.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

chrystaltree — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 16:25:27 GMT

Never heard of pain like that. I'll go out on a limb and say you didn't call the doctor's office for advice. After a week of serious pain, you might want to give them a call. I had my flu shot in one arm and the pneumonia shot in the other arm and the flu shot arm was achy for a couple of days but the pneumonia shot arm really hurt for 5 or 6 days. Just in the upper arm where I had the shot, nothing like you describe.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

garmer — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 18:04:12 GMT

I have always had a very sore arm after a tetanus shot. The pain and stiffness lasts for a week or longer, can't even raise my arm over my head,

I still remember one I got as a child, couldn't even use that hand to hold on to the swing chain. Idk why that one sticks in my head, but it does. I remember sitting on that swing all sad...lol. I was maybe 6 or 7.

Now, I take 800mg of ibuprofen before and after the shot, and use a heating pad for the stiffness. I continue to use the ibu regularly for a few days after. Doesn't make it all go away, but helps a lot. Taking the ibuprofen a couple of hours before the shot is the key for me.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Abrowneyegirl — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 18:11:51 GMT

@Pink is happy

Interesting, one of the doc's I spoke with was an Immunologist and one the others is a notable infectious med/disease doctor.

I learned at LOT about tetanus and actually how DIFFICULT it is to contract and the old "step on a rusty nail" wives tale. I felt a lot better about forgoing my last 10 yr booster shot.

Now, I have clear direction on what type of tetanus shot I need and under what circumstances.

Consulting experts is often worth the time to avoid problems.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

garmer — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 18:33:59 GMT

I believe the 'rusty nail' tale started because a barn was a place where people were likely to step on a rusty nail.

It wasn't the rust that got ya, it was the lovely microbes living in the barn with the livestock.

The nail puncture provided the entry way for the tetanus pathogen.

Doc told me that years ago.

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Abrowneyegirl — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 19:58:40 GMT

@garmer wrote:
I believe the 'rusty nail' tale started because a barn was a place where people were likely to step on a rusty nail.
It wasn't the rust that got ya, it was the lovely microbes living in the barn with the livestock.
The nail puncture provided the entry way for the tetanus pathogen.

Doc told me that years ago.

Even if you step on a rusty nail in a barn, there still have to be a series of conditions for tetanus infection to set in (as so I learned). There is a strong likelihood for several types of infection but tetanus is not near the top of a LONG list.

If you read up on the tetanus bacteria it is interesting!

Re: Pain In Arm 1 Week Following Flu Shot & Tetanus Injection

Moonchilde — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 20:06:15 GMT

@Anita Hug wrote:
Count me in as one who also had a bad reaction to my last tetanus shot. It actually didn't start getting bad until a couple of days after the shot, and the reaction was strange. I had severe pain in my armpit, and the nodes were extremely tender to the touch. At first I thought I had some dread disease, lol. It finally dawned on me that that was the same side I had the tetanus shot, so I googled it. Others also had similar painful reactions, so I wasn't dying, lol. It was awful. I used warm compresses for almost a week until it finally started to go away.

I had a very bad (definitely worse than the norm, which is bad anyway) reaction to a tetanus shot in my early 20s and have avoided them for many years. I had one doctor’s office agree to give me a split dose (two visits) and that was fine. But since then, no one will do that. When working I could have gotten a DPT booster (they were worried about whooping cough - still are) but they don’t/can’t separate the vaccines, it’s DPT or nothing. I’ve also asked at various doctors’ offices if they would do split dose and they said no.

I know I should have one again, but I’m NOT looking forward to the reaction I had before.