SIRVA (Shoulder Injury Related To Vaccine Administration) is a term used to describe a range of shoulder injuries that result from the improper administration of vaccines. While vaccinations are generally safe and well-tolerated, the way a shot is given can impact the surrounding tissues, leading to pain and limited shoulder mobility. The anatomy of the… Read more »
As previously discussed in other posts, shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) often occur as a result of improper administration techniques on the part of the person giving the flu shot, TDaP (tetanus booster), or other vaccination. Sometimes this comes in the form of administering the shot with an improper size needle, but more… Read more »
Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent infectious diseases and protect public health. However, like any medical intervention, vaccines can sometimes cause adverse reactions or injuries. One of the rare but serious types of vaccine-related injuries is called Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA). SIRVA is a condition that occurs when… Read more »
As you may know, shoulder injuries can occur as a result of receiving a flu shot, Tdap, or other vaccination. Typically, these injuries are caused when the person or provider giving the shot administers it in an improper location on the arm, typically too high on the shoulder. However, in some instances, the administration of… Read more »
If you’ve gotten a flu shot, Tdap, or other vaccination recently, you may notice that some feel like they hurt worse than others. It turns out the reason for that can be multifactorial. The length, gauge, and dullness of the needle can have an effect on the painfulness of the shot. So too can the… Read more »
As detailed in prior entries, shoulder injuries can occur as a result of receiving a flu shot, Tdap, or other vaccination. Typically, these injuries are caused from improper needle placement by the person or provider administering the shot. However, in rare instances, the use of an improper gauge or length needle can also cause injury… Read more »
As detailed in prior entries, shoulder injuries can occur after the administration of a flu shot or other vaccination. Typically, these injuries are caused from poor needle placement by the person administering the vaccine, use of an improper gauge or size needle, or a localized reaction to the vaccine serum itself. The Advisory Committee on… Read more »
We’ve previously detailed some important differences and distinctions between normal shoulder pain following a flu shot or other vaccination and what might be the symptoms of a more serious shoulder injury. In this post, we will go over some things to keep in mind if you believe you may have suffered such a shoulder injury…. Read more »
Below is a link to a press release outlining legislation proposed by U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-MI), former Chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA), Ranking Member of the House Ways & Means Oversight… Read more »
As we’ve detailed previously, shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (otherwise known as “SIRVA”) are the most common injuries resulting from flu shots and other vaccines. SIRVA can happen when a vaccine is injected into the capsule of your shoulder joint instead of your deltoid muscle. It can also occur if the needle being used… Read more »
Shoulder injuries are by far the most common injury suffered by people receiving vaccinations and are by far the most common type of claim filed in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (“VICP”). As detailed in prior entries, the Department of Health and Human Services recently tried to roll back protections for people suffering shoulder injuries… Read more »
As you may have read previously, on July 20, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to amend the Vaccine Injury Table by removing Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (“SIRVA”), vasovagal syncope, and the new vaccines category, Item XVII. This proposed Rule change would have had… Read more »
It seems that even the Incredible Hulk is not immune from SIRVA injuries as actor Lou Ferrigno recently revealed he was hospitalized after a vaccine shot for pneumonia left fluid in his bicep. This occurrence was reported after the star of the Incredible Hulk series recently tweeted out a photo of himself from a hospital… Read more »
Below is a link to an article appearing in the CBC News. In it, the author relays some advice he or she received from a pharmacy professor at the University of Waterloo for reducing the likelihood of developing a SIRVA (Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration) when receiving a flu shot. The primary advice communicated… Read more »
A recent study published by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada provided tips for reducing the risk of getting a shoulder injury when receiving a flu shot and also corroborated the need for health care professionals to understand how these injuries can happen and to take certain precautions to minimize their occurrence. The… Read more »
Below is a link to an article detailing the injuries and experiences of a Minnesota woman who received a flu shot at the pharmacy of her local grocery store. Like most people, she was advised that she would have soreness in her shoulder for a couple of days after the shot. However, she began to… Read more »
A United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisory committee voted to approve FluMist, the nasal spray influenza vaccine, for the 2018-2019 flu season. This marks the first time the nasal spray will return after a two season hiatus in which concerns were raised about its effectiveness, particularly against the H1N1 strand…. Read more »
According to the CDC, vaccine effectiveness during the 2015-2016 flu season was 47%, but for the 2014-2015 season, effectiveness was just 19%. Variances in effectiveness from year to year can be caused by a variety of factors. As detailed in prior blog entries, each year before the flu season begins, a vaccine is made based… Read more »
Ever wonder how officials make predictions on an upcoming flu season or how particular flu vaccines are chosen? There are ongoing surveillance sites around the world collecting samples from people who have the flu. This information is then submitted to a central panel organized by the WHO (World Health Organization). Then the WHO, based on… Read more »
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) issued a recent report indicating that the United States is in the midst of an especially severe flu season this year. In addition to starting sooner than usual, early reports indicate that about half of the states are reporting unusually intense flu activity so far. According to the CDC,… Read more »
