The process of getting your vaccine seems pretty straightforward. Yes, the needle hurts just slightly as it enters your arm. But it’s all over very quickly and you head back home, confident that you are going to be safe and healthy moving forward.
Later that day, though, your arm really starts to hurt. The next day, it’s even worse. Is this normal, or has something gone wrong?
Arm pain is common and you should expect it
The good news is that arm pain is a “normal response to [a] foreign substance,” as noted in National Geographic. Even though the vaccine will help you, it is still something your body did not expect that has been injected into it. Pain from this, along with the mild physical trauma of the needle, is normal. You may even have other side effects, such as a rash. This too can be expected.
That doesn’t mean all pain is normal, though. There are warning signs. Say the pain doesn’t go away or even gets worse. Is this a sign that the area has become infected? Are you having an allergic reaction that could be dangerous?
This does happen. You do not need to worry about it if you just have some pain — the amount differs for everyone — for a short time after the vaccine. When things do not heal properly, though, that’s when you may need to be wary.
If you experience injuries from a vaccine
As with any medical procedure, complications are possible and injuries do happen. If this happens to you, then you may want to look into all of your legal options. An attorney can help you learn more about your options.