Why does your arm hurt after getting a Covid Vaccine
Many people complain of arm pain after they get inoculated with the covid-19 vaccine. While this complaint is nothing new, it appears that the complaint has steadily increased in recent months as many more people got vaccinated. So far, experts have reported several side effects associated with the Covid vaccine, but one of the most common ones is physical pain in the arm.
During the post-vaccination period, the spot where the patient is injected may become sore and even swell due to inflammation, but why is it so? Let us attempt to explain why.
Injection Side Effects
After taking the vaccine, the injection site may develop swelling after a few days in the form of inflammatory or systematic reactions. As a result, you may experience soreness, movement difficulty, or stiffness. The good news is that the pain and numbness are temporary; the bad news for some patients is that they are thrown off balance during the period and cannot keep up with their regular routines due to their pain.
When you take the shot, your body interprets the piercing as an injury like a cut. The blade intrusion causes the body to send cells to the spot to relax the blood vessels. One of the effects of these immune cells is inflammation which protects you from pathogens should your system encounter the same again. This process is called reactogenicity.
Another source of arm irritation is your muscle reacting to the vaccine liquid. This liquid may lead to soreness, swelling, or redness.
How long will the pain last?
If you feel stiffness or pain in the injected area, there is no need to panic. On average, vaccination side effects only last for three days. After three days, the spot should heal. However, inflammation and soreness may last up to five days for people with sensitive skin. If the pain does not subside within a week, we recommend that you go back to your doctor to make a complaint.
But redness and arm soreness is not a bad thing. People with highly sensitive skin may suffer more pain than those with less sensitive skin. However, some experts have claimed that arm soreness may be a good sign to prove that your vaccine is working as well as it should. Vaccines are designed to cause inflammation and to create antibodies, so if you experience high inflammation, it is an indication that the vaccine you have taken is protecting your system.
Conclusion
To minimise the soreness and pain, give your arm some time to recover and don’t subject it to any strenuous activity. Massaging the part with massage oil will also help your muscle relax in the affected area.
