Shoulder & Arm Pain long after Flu Shot / Vaccine

[Myarmhurtstoo]

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...

[Janeb52]

I hope by now your arm is better.  Mine is better but not good.  I had a flu shot on 12/17/13 and it naturally felt sore .  Then on 12/23 we had 36" of snow and I had to shovel my driveway.  After that, I could not raise my left arm without using my right arm to lift it up.  I could not put a shirt on over my head.  I've had sore muscles before from shoveling but nothing like this.  I can touch the spot on my arm where I received the shot and still feel pain a month later.  This is injection site pain, not snow shoveling pain.  I believe the pharmacist who gave me the flu shot hit a nerve or tendon or maybe bone.  Nerves take a really long time to heal.  I do feel like it gets a little better every day but still have a ways to go.  I don't know what ever possessed me to let a pharmacist  give me a flu shot, but this will be the last time for that.  In the meantime, I have found Advil helps some.  I am reluctant to try ice or heat as I feel it is slowly healing and don't want to undo the progress I've made.      

[FurioMagnificent]

Hello -

I had a complete and massive rupture of my rotator cuff (right arm) 2 years ago, so I have a pretty good frame of reference re: shoulder injury.  My flu shot this year (14DEC2013) was administered in my left shoulder (very high) and my left shoulder hurts worse than when I tore the muscles in the right shoulder.

Has anyone found the secret to recovering function and eliminating the pain?  I am not one to take pain killers but the constant aching of my left shoulder is making me consider pills for relief.

Please provide update if anyone has found a remedy.  
  Thank you
   Furio

[kyssty101]

I got a flu shot and 3 other shots on 12-20-13 2 in one shoulder 2 in the other one. When the nurse put the needle in, it hurt alot more then the others. when she pushed the syringe and the stuff entered my body, it felt like she stab me with a knife in my shoulder, it really hurt bad it hurt for about 15 mins then the pain let up then the next day i woke up it was back but in both shoulder it hurt alot more in my left arm then my right. the pain was so bad that when I tried to to get dressed and put my arms over my head  I had tingling and numbness in my arm and fingers, and down into my shoulder blade. At times the pain went into my arm pit. I have never had anything like this i never had a flu shot before tho i am 15 years old.so u no I can apply pressure to the spot where the shot was given and feel pain all the way down into my shoulder muscle and arm. Cannot sleep on my left side but can on my right side but the right side still hurts but i stand to sleep on that side  and simple things like pulling the covers up grabing a cup off the table,brushing my hair. cause intense, shooting pain. right now. The pain seems to be worse while in bed trying to sleep and in the morning.  i have not been back to the docs yet because it is xmas weekend and it only been tree days and want to see if it gose away. i dont do good with pain at all. i took over the counter pain pills. i hear everyone saying they had this pain for 3-5 week i dont no if i can bare that plz help if you have info that help u plz tell me thxs

[allmymarbles]

"File a claim"? Do you mean sue the government? HsHs. They would have to admit there were serious dangers to the flu shot. Can you see that happening? Then all the drug houses producing the vaccine would lose millions and millions of dollars. Our government can't let that happen.

[mer8]

wow ive been wondering whats wrong with me! I had flu shot 15 days ago and have such shoulder pain I cant dress myself. I thought I was getting arthritis.

[sandsdune]

Got a flu shot 5 weeks ago.  Have the same symptoms as above. The pain is so bad can't lift my arm, sleep on my left side, hard to take shirt off, wash my hair.I have never had a flu shot until this year.   I was sick for 4 days following the flu shot now this.   I am going to doctor this week and hope to get some results.   Has anyone had any luck filing a claim?  Any good treatment plans?