What may begin as shoulder pain after a vaccination could develop into a potentially permanent medical problem. Below are some of the rare shoulder injuries that can result as an adverse reaction to a vaccine.
Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration
After a vaccination, some people have suffered what is called Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA), which is an injury to the musculoskeletal structures of the shoulder including the ligaments, tendons and bursa. The condition is an inflammatory response to trauma from an unintended injection of a vaccine into tissue underneath the shoulder’s deltoid muscle. SIRVA can mean severe and persistent shoulder pain with prolonged restriction of arm function.
Frozen Shoulder
Adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as frozen shoulder, is a condition involving pain and stiffness in the shoulder that can last for years. Pain increases over time as range of motion decreases, and stiffness may persist for months even after painful symptoms slowly go away. Some people develop frozen shoulder from a flu shot or another vaccination.
Brachial Neuritis
A person with brachial neuritis – also known as brachial plexus neuritis, neuralgic amyotrophy or Parsonage-Turner syndrome – may suffer intense pain that’s exacerbated by movement. Pain can last for a few hours up to several weeks, but arm weakness and low-grade pain may persist for up to a year.
What You Can Do
The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was established to pay victims for the financial hardship their unexpected vaccine injuries will likely cause. If you or your child was injured, a qualified attorney admitted to practice before the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. can represent you at no cost to you. Contact our firm for assistance.