(Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration)
Many people experience a sore arm or shoulder after a vaccine. In rare cases, a person will experience severe shoulder pain after vaccination, which persists for weeks or months, interfering with daily life. In these instances, the individual may be suffering from SIRVA, shoulder injury related to vaccine administration.
SIRVA is caused by the injection of a vaccine into the shoulder capsule rather than the deltoid muscle. As a result, inflammation of the shoulder structures causes patients to experience pain, a decreased range of motion, and a decreased quality of life.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of SIRVA are persistent shoulder pain and a limited range of motion in an individual who had no shoulder issues prior to vaccination. Symptoms typically begin within 48 hours of vaccination, and do not improve on their own or with over-the-counter medications.
SIRVA can result in shoulder pain, weakness, stiffness or nerve inflammation. In very rare cases, it can result in nerve injury.
Recovery
Patients with SIRVA are often diagnosed with inflammatory injuries such as bursitis, rotator cuff tears, and adhesive capsulitis.
SIRVA is diagnosed by an ultrasound scan, which can also show the extent and type of damage.
Medications that reduce inflammation and corticosteroid injections to the shoulder are common treatments for SIRVA. Doctors may also recommend physical therapy.
Cause
SIRVA occurs when an injection is administered incorrectly. If the shot is injected too high in the arm, the vaccine can be delivered to the shoulder joint capsule instead of the deltoid muscle, causing inflammation, pain, and decreased range of motion.
If the needle is injected too deep, parts of the shoulder such as the rotator cuff can be damaged. In very rare cases the axillary or radial nerves in the upper arm can be injured.
Related disorders
Brachial neuritis causes severe shoulder pain due to inflammation of nerves that run from the neck and upper back through the shoulder. This pain is typically followed by numbness and weakness in the arm and/or shoulder for months or longer.
Contact Us
If you have been diagnosed with SIRVA, or a shoulder or arm injury following vaccination, contact our office for a free consultation with one of our experienced vaccine team members. You may be eligible for compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Learn more about SIRVA:
- SIRVA description from the College of Family Physicians of Canada
- SIRVA description from the National Center for Biotechnical Information
- SIRVA description from Verywell Health