Introduction
Pain after vaccination is very common. Usually only the area around the injection site hurts. There it can also lead to redness and swelling. These signs indicate that the body’s own immune system is fighting with the vaccine. These local reactions are usually no cause for concern and disappear by themselves within a few days after vaccination.
Causes
There are two different types of vaccines – live and dead vaccines. With live vaccines (for example, measles mumps rubella vaccine), live pathogens are injected into the body in an attenuated form. In the case of dead vaccines (e.g. influenza vaccine, rabies vaccine), the pathogens are first completely killed and only immune-active fragments of the pathogens are injected into the body.
In the case of inactivated vaccines, the toxin of certain pathogens can also be applied in a modified form. One speaks then of a toxoid vaccine. Examples are the tetanus and diphtheria vaccinations.
However, all vaccines have in common that they are supposed to activate the immune system and lead to antibody production. In this way, the patient should already be prepared in case of a possible real infection and thus be able to ward off the disease. If a vaccine is now injected into the arm, the body already deals with the particles introduced at this point.
The vaccination site can swell, become red and painful. This reaction is therefore quite desirable and only indicates that the body is reacting to the vaccine. Serious and dangerous reactions to vaccinations, however, are very rare.
Some vaccines also contain additives that strengthen the body’s immune response and attract even more immune cells to the site of the injection. These additives are called adjuvants. However, they can cause irritation of the tissue and thus also cause pain.
Live vaccines often cause less pain than dead vaccines because live vaccines contain less or no adjuvants. These would otherwise impair the effectiveness of the live vaccine. Pain after a vaccination can usually be compared to aching muscles in the inoculated muscle.
Since most vaccinations today are administered in the upper arm, the deltoid muscle is usually affected. Movements with the arm can be painful for several days, especially if the arm is to be lifted laterally. In addition, redness and/or swelling of the injection site may occur.
Some people also react to vaccinations with tiredness, exhaustion or even fever. Aching limbs and headaches are also possible symptoms. This indicates that the immune system is reacting to the vaccine.
Usually these symptoms are harmless and disappear within a few days after vaccination. Not every person reacts in this way to a vaccination. Even if all symptoms are absent, it can be assumed that the vaccination is effective.
Every person reacts differently to the substances introduced. Serious reactions to the vaccination are very rare. If the vaccinated arm swells up strongly or if high fever and/or shortness of breath occurs after vaccination, a doctor should be consulted immediately.
Especially in children, pain after a vaccination often occurs in combination with fever. The fever indicates the (desired) reaction of the immune system to the vaccination and usually subsides after one or a few days. In case of fever and pain after vaccination, the child can be given antipyretic medication.
However, if the fever is unusually high or lasts for a long time, a doctor should be consulted again and the previous vaccination should be reported. In rare cases, it is possible that the fever may trigger a febrile convulsion. Especially parents of children who have already been affected should, in the case of fever, start to lower their fever early after vaccination.
Under certain circumstances it is possible to give a fever-reducing medication prophylactically. However, this must be discussed with the treating pediatrician. Even in adults, fever in combination with pain can occur after a vaccination.
Pain can be perceived in the form of localized pain at the injection site, but also as generalized limb or muscle pain. In both cases it is important to take care of yourself physically in the first period after the vaccination. Adults can also take antipyretic medication for fever and pain.
- Baby fever after vaccination
- Fever after vaccination in adults
- Vaccination side effects
A reddened and often swollen puncture site is one of the most common local vaccination reactions.
This redness is often accompanied by pain, similar to the pain of sore muscles. This reaction to a vaccination is harmless and indicates the desired reaction of the immune system to the vaccination dose administered. Usually the pain and redness disappear completely after one to three days. A temporary cooling can also help.
