Shoulder Injuries Related to Vaccine Administration

By leahdurantlaw on June 25, 2015 • ( 0 )

Signs of a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA)

Under most circumstances, the administration of a vaccine occurs without any problems. Some people don’t feel anything past the initial needle prick. For others, the shoulder may be a little tender in the spot where the needle entered, but the pain generally fades quickly.

Unfortunately for a few, the shot results in a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration or SIRVA. If you have signs of SIRVA, contact attorney Leah Durant for immediate assistance. Our offices can help you receive compensation for your injuries from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program at no cost to you.

Vaccine Administration

The first clue that shoulder pain may be SIRVA is if you just had a vaccination.

The Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines presumes that if the onset of pain occurs within 48 hours of the injection, poor administration of the vaccination may be the cause of the pain. This window is intended to favor the injured person who might bring an injury claim.

If the onset of pain is after 48 hours, you may need to work closely with your attorney to determine how to show the cause of your injury.

Pain

Pain that might be indicative of SIRVA is considerably more intense than just a needle prick. It may become impossible to ignore, depending on your pain tolerance.

Radiating or referred pain may be a symptom of SIRVA, too. This is pain that does not stay localized but fans out from the injection site. That’s because SIRVA is the result of a vaccine administered into the joint capsule above the muscle, where it should have gone. This region is known to cause radiating pain in some people.

Range of Motion

Range of motion refers to how far you can rotate or stretch your shoulder up, down, back and forth or in circles. Limited range of motion is a classic symptom of SIRVA.

If you are suffering from deltoid bursitis — also called subacromial bursitis because the needle jabbed the bursa or sac inside the shoulder joint — you may feel pain when you lift your arm in an arc over your head. At your side or way up high, your arm feels fine, but the medium range of motion hurts or is impossible.

If you are suffering from adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder, you might notice limited range of motion when you rotate your arm away from your body. Later, you may have pain lifting your arm up and down or reaching behind your back. This is a result of the tissue around the joint restricting movement because of your injury.

Other types of injuries or limitations to movement may be a sign of SIRVA, too. The best way to find out is to work closely with your attorney and medical team.

Nerve Damage

For some, nerve damage or neuropathy becomes a problem. The brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves that runs from the neck down the arm, may be inflamed or otherwise damaged because a needle hit the nerve bundle. The pain can be sudden, but it is usually characterized by severe, piercing pain and weakening of the muscles in the arm as the pain radiates.

Other types of nerve damage may include tingling, numbness or temporary loss of strength.

If any of these symptoms sound familiar after administration of a vaccine, please contact us online or call us immediately at 202-800-1711. We are here to help you recover funds from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program at no cost to you.