ASK LOIS: Is this excruciating pain after COVID shots normal?
Q: I received all the COVID vaccines and boosters. Now I’m not sure I should have. Ever since those shots, my left upper arm is in such excruciating pain and it shoots up into my shoulder and sometimes down to my fingertips.
My pain management lady said there isn’t anything to do, except therapy, which I won’t do as I don’t believe in it. My arm right now is throbbing away as I am typing this email. I have a hard time doing anything with my left arm some days.
Is there anything that states that the vaccines have caused muscular problems? Any information on arm muscle pain and treatments would be appreciated. I can’t take it anymore. — Ellen Thomas
A: We can all relate to that feeling of arm pain at the injection site, but your symptoms sound extreme. Ask your doctor if you have SIRVA, or Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration.
Doctors originally became familiar with SIRVA from flu shots administered too high above the deltoid muscle. But SIRVA evolved into a fairly common phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic: A National Institutes of Health study released last year reported the massive quantity of technicians recruited to administer the vaccines may have included “many who may not regularly administer intramuscular deltoid immunizations, potentially increasing the incidence of improper intramuscular injection.”
The study looked at more than 300 cases and found the majority of injuries affected women; a significant percentage said their injection was administered “too high.” Adhesive capsulitis, or stiffness and pain, was the most common diagnosis, followed by bursitis, tendinopathy, nerve injury, and infection.
Know that you’re not alone. Many people are still seeking answers about an assortment of long-term symptoms they experienced after contracting the virus or receiving the vaccine, said Dr. Janice Walker, a primary care physician with Memorial Healthcare in Hollywood.
“Unfortunately, in some individuals, as you have experienced, the pain may persist for an extended
period and may require further intervention, such as pain management, if over-the-counter pain
relievers, ice and rest do not help,” Walker said. “These side effects may be more prevalent with one COVID-19 vaccine over another. It is important to follow up with your healthcare providers to explore treatment options
for symptoms experienced after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and adjust based on your response to
recommended treatment.”
Despite all that you’re going through, Walker said you did the right thing by getting the shots.
“These symptoms are far less concerning than the potential risks associated with a COVID-19 infection,” she said. “It is often a small price to pay for the protection the vaccine offers.”
Got a question about life in South Florida? Send to Lois at AskLois@sunsentinel.com.