Flu shot shoulder injury

[clemsyn]

Hi, had a flu shot 3 weeks ago and noticed she gave it a bit too high up in my left arm. I am a nurse so I know where it should have been but I didn't want too sound to bossy. When she injected the vaccine, I noticed an extreme pain than ran through my shoulder and neck like never before. I have been taking shots every year since I am a nurse and never had this kind of pain before. When I got home, I noticed that I can't lift my left arm over my head and I have use my right hand to lift it over my head and I would get chills and extreme pain. The next morning, I can't even put my shirt on properly due to the pain and I have to use my right hand to help my left arm all day. I did mild ROM movements on my left shoulder and tolerated the pain while doing so. Did get a bit better in a week so I tried doing a push-up (I used to do 50 pushups and 30 pullups in a day) and can't do a single one due to the pain. I can't even do a pull-up since I can't my left arm up my head. It's been three weeks and I can't even use my left arm like I used to because of the pain. I go through pain at work and I do my best not to show it. I am seeing my doctor on Monday but anyone experience this after a flu shot?

 

[jayzds]

That sounds messed up. I had really sore shoulders & lats for a couple days after a pneumonia shot. Nothing extreme like yours though...

 

[Bateluer]

Never experienced that myself after getting a flu shot in the past. I experience illness after the shot, but not muscle pain. Post an update when you have the medical professional's diagnosis, I'm curious what happened.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Sounds like she hit a nerve of some sort (likely the axillary nerve) or gave it way too close. Are you getting any numbness or tingling? Or do you think it's just muscle pain? Give it some time and try to do simple, bearable exercises that will facilitate blood flow and use of the deltoid. It was a bad job on her part and you may want to call the office to let them know. That's not an acceptable standard of care.

 

[clemsyn]

Sounds like she hit a nerve of some sort (likely the axillary nerve) or gave it way too close. Are you getting any numbness or tingling? Or do you think it's just muscle pain? Give it some time and try to do simple, bearable exercises that will facilitate blood flow and use of the deltoid. It was a bad job on her part and you may want to call the office to let them know. That's not an acceptable standard of care.

The pain isn't just the muscle, it runs to my neck and to my hands so I really think it hit a nerve or something but no numbness (yet). Any exercise to suggest? I'm doing ROM movement and just take the pain as much as I could..Can't even put a shirt on without any pain...Darn, I hope this is not permanent...(Missing my pullups, chin ups and push ups) I just thank God he gave us two hands

 

[clemsyn]

Got this post in Chemical Tendonitis and we seem to have the same problem

http://www.tendonitisexpert.com/chemical-tendotitis-from-the-h1n1-flu-shot.html


Oct 16, 2011
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pain from flu shot in shoulder
by: becky

I had a flu shot 3 weeks ago. I usually cant feel them, but this time it burned like hell and she gave it really high up on my shoulder.

I am thinking she hit bone that's why it was so painful. But now i have no strength in my shoulder and its extremely painful still. I think we have the same problem.

There was also another one and it seems like it was given to high...

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Got this post in Chemical Tendonitis and we seem to have the same problem

http://www.tendonitisexpert.com/chemical-tendotitis-from-the-h1n1-flu-shot.html


Oct 16, 2011
Rating


pain from flu shot in shoulder
by: becky

I had a flu shot 3 weeks ago. I usually cant feel them, but this time it burned like hell and she gave it really high up on my shoulder.

I am thinking she hit bone that's why it was so painful. But now i have no strength in my shoulder and its extremely painful still. I think we have the same problem.

There was also another one and it seems like it was given to high...

That burning sensation hints that it's more neural than just chemical tendonitis. Burning, tingling, numbness tend to come with nerve damage. Whether it's caused by directly hitting the nerve, inflammation caused by the injection impinging the nerve, or the virus itself being concentrated at a given point of the nerve itself, they could all cause the pain and weakness. I definitely wouldn't consider it tendonitis, especially because flu shots (even if given incorrectly) are always given in the muscle belly. If she hit the supraspinatus tendon, she's doing way more wrong than just placing the needle incorrectly.

 

[clemsyn]

OK, so doctor checked me out and said it a nerve injury from the vaccine injection. He said it will take about 6-8 weeks to heal.

 

[clemsyn]

Just an update. Left Shoulder is feeling a lot better now. Able to do 5 pushups and 15 pulls ups...Will try to push that pushup back to 30 soon. Pushups still hurts, pull ups are fine.