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1465913 tn?1318971452

Shoulder & Arm Pain long after Flu Shot / Vaccine

got the flu shot this year as I do every year. That was over 3 weeks ago and my arm/shoulder still hurts. It was so bad that last week I went to the doc after reading threads online. He said we could spend a lot of money on tests (which may come back inconclusive) and physical therapy (which may not really speed up the healing process) but in the end it is probably just a matter of time. He DID give me a steriod pack which I finished yesterday morning...the last pill. The steriods helped immediately, however yesterday when I woke up the stiffness is back in the shoulder and has gotten worse. Today I could barely get dressed.

At its worst, the pain was so bad that when I tried to remove my gown over my head I doubled over...unable to the complete the task. I had tingling and numbness in my arm and fingers, and down into my shoulder blade. At times the pain travels down into my pec muscles and into my arm pit. I have never had anything like this from past flu shots other than a little arm soreness that lasted a couple of days. This is different. We believe (at my office) that the shot was a little high and also a bit further towards the back of the shoulder than in past years.

Right now I can apply pressure to the spot where the shot was given and feel a dull pain all the way down into my shoulder muscle and arm. Cannot sleep on my left side and simple things like carrying a purse or pulling the covers up cause intense, shooting pain. Had to get groceries last nite and was able to do it (even though it REALLY hurt) so there doesn't appear to be a lot of weakness right now. The pain seems to be worse while in bed trying to sleep and in the morning. Esp in the morning...

Because of a lowered kidney function my doc has told me to limit NSAID intake. This is bad news since that is the only thing that actually helped the pain. Since I can't afford expensive tests or PT right now (and from reading the blogs they don't really seem to help much in the diagnosis or recovery) I'm gonna give it a little time...unless it gets worse and becomes unbearable again. I plan to keep checking back here and reporting the progress. I DID feel better after reading the posts because I realized this was apparently not just some funky anomaly that only I was experiencing.

I am probably going back in to see my doc to let him know about the result of the steroids (immediate relief) as well as the sudden return of the pain as bad as (or worse) than before when the steriods were stopped. This is very depressing...I try to do what I can to be healthy and I actually wind up causing a problem. I have read that it could be needle placement (i.e. nerve, punctured bursa, muscle hematoma) or a reaction to the vaccine itself (preservatives, etc.). I am a 51 yr old female always received a flu shot never more than soreness for a couple of days. Guess I'm hoping for a miracle...everyone else reporting these symptoms indicates that recovery is VERY slow and takes many months up to a year. However, I have yet to see where someone pinpointed EXACTLY what the problem was...
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Avatar universal
I've been seeing a orthopedic doctor and just completed six weeks of Therapy. I'm still in pain with limited movement. I got my flu shot September 29th 2014. The pain is worse at night and I can't put my arm behind my back. I've read so many cases like this. My doctor doesn't believe it's from the flu shot. I guess they all stick together . CBS news had a news article about this. These are real cases. I don't think this pain will ever go away. I've gotten a cortisone shot and it helped a little but only for about two weeks.
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Avatar universal
I got the flu shot in sept also and my left arm  has been bothering me for the last couple months went to the dr's said I had bursitis then went back two week later arm swollen , was sent to pt and this is my second week been doing stretching excise and they put a patch on before I leave with some medicine have to leave on for two hours. have to go back on Tuesday and going to ask for the ultra sound that is for deep down in the skin for inflammation if that does not help going back to dr's for shot . i'm tired of this pain
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Avatar universal
I got my Flu shot in the Doctor's office on Sept. 2014. Today 3/15/2015. I am still in pain. I've had a Xray, MRI and was told my shoulder was inflamed. The doctor gave me a cortisone shot and told me start therapy which I did for six weeks. It hasn't helped. I can't sleep at night because the pain is worse at night and morning. I went back to the Doctor but he doesn't believe it's from the flu shot. Now he want's to do a Platelet rich plasma test. He told me to go back to Therapy again. I'm getting fed up. The therapy gave me a little better range of motion but I still can't put my arm behind my back without pain. I don't know if I need to see another Doctor and what kind of Doctor. I've been seeing a Orthopedic specialist.    
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Avatar universal
I have received flu shots for the past 6 years and have not had one single problem until this year. We may not know the exact issue with the strain this year but I do believe there is an issue or perhaps it could be the way it was administered. My shots have always come directly from hospital administration until this year. I was unemployed at the time but receiving a flu shot is important to me so I had it done at the local neighborhood drug store. I received my shot the first week in November, it has now been nearly 8 weeks later and I still feel the discomfort of lying on my arm. The constant pain has gone but there is definitely discomfort when lying on that arm at night.  All of this is very disturbing but if I had it to do over again, I do believe I would get the shot. We are damned if we do and damned if we don't. It's a risk worth taking for me. I think it was the way my shot was administered so I am just going to ride this one out cause I do believe that I'm on the home stretch.
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Avatar universal
I received a flu shot because it became a mandatory thing for my job. I would usually never go for one. I do not believe in them. I held out for one month at work, wearing a mask, honestly I was bullied into getting a flu shot, being treated like crap by certain individuals there, because I did not comply with their system.  So any way, got the flu shot. Almost immediately I had numbness down my entire arm to my hand, felt increased pressure down to my thumb.Within 20 minutes I had horrible pain, medially thru my bicep.  It got so bad the pain, muscle spasm, radiated into my chest for 4 hours
I have had unceasing pain in my shoulder ever since.
Finally saw MD, was put on NSAID for two weeks. She had never heard of such a thing, and is reluctant to say it is related to the flu shot.   I cannot getdressed, undressed, sleep, adjust myself in bed without pain.....I am so very upset about this, I didn't want this shot to start with, now this crap....
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Avatar universal
Tomorrow will be 7 weeks of pain for me. I would feel stupid going to an orthopedist over a flu shot but I'm getting worried it did some sort of damage. It no longer throbs all day, but certain motions feel like my arm is being ripped off. It also pops way more than normal, even small motions like running my hand through my hair.
Helpful - 0
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