Medical Experts Explain Shoulder Injuries Related to Vaccine Administration

This flu season, many will unfortunately succumb to inappropriate vaccinations that result in severe shoulder injuries. Medical experts on Health.com recently commented on the increased rate of these injuries, why they occur, and what to do if you have suffered from a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration. **What is SIRVA?** Ken Donohue, MD, a Yale Medicine orthopedic surgeon and shoulder specialist, explained that SIRVA is an extremely rare condition in which pain and loss of function in the shoulder occurs following a vaccination—usually within 48 hours of administration of an injection in people who had no shoulder issues prior to injection. It can result in shoulder pain, weakness, stiffness or nerve inflammation (brachial neuritis). It can also result in nerve injury. Dr. Donohue stated that he has “seen very few cases of this in my patients as an orthopedic shoulder specialist,” and because it is rare, there is little information available about it and many patients are unaware that their shoulder injury is related to their flu shot. According to a 2012 case report published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, “the concept that adverse reactions, specifically those involving the shoulder, are very rare.” At the time of the report, researchers noted that only “a single” article on the concept existed. Seven years later, research is still incredibly limited. While any sort of vaccination can lead to SIRVA, researchers found the majority were the result of the influenza vaccine. According to the report, nearly all who have reported such an injury, developed it within 24 hours. **Why does SIRVA happen?** Dr. Donohue explains that doctors and nurses are properly trained in “landmarking,” or determining where a vaccine should be given in the arm and using the proper needle length. “When a needle is injected too deep the deltoid muscle can be penetrated and structures within the shoulder can be damaged such as the rotator cuff or joint capsule,” he explains. In very rare cases the axillary or radial nerves in the upper arm could be injured. According to the 2012 case report, “SIRVA is due to an inflammatory effect from vaccine administration into the subdeltoid bursa,” or a fluid-filled sac located under the deltoid muscle in the shoulder joint. A 2018 study published in the Canadian Pharmacists Journal, specified that it “occurs when an injection is administered too high in the arm, and the vaccine is delivered to the shoulder capsule instead of the deltoid muscle.” **What are the symptoms of SIRVA?** While some soreness after a vaccine injection is common, it usually disappears on its own within days. With SIRVA, on the other hand, an individual will usually start feeling shoulder pain and inflammation within 48 hours of the vaccination, which doesn’t improve. "In patients who experience SIRVA, months may pass by, and patients will still complain of increasing pain, weakness, and impaired mobility in the injected arm. Simple actions like lifting your arm to brush your teeth can cause pain," said Kelly Grindrod, a professor in the School of Pharmacy at Waterloo and one of the authors of the 2018 study. People experiencing these symptoms should talk to their doctor. "It's important that we learn to recognize these signs of SIRVA so that we can access appropriate treatment," Grindrod points out. If you or a loved one has experienced prolonged shoulder pain after a recent flu shot please fill out our brief contact form to determine if you are eligible for compensation from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund. [Click here to see if you are eligible for compensation][1] [1]: https://www.vaccineawarenesscenter.com/contact/