Flu Shot Symptoms
The influenza virus is one of the most common of all viruses among people. It is the cause of the flu; a disease that tends to come around once every year. For most people, the flu is little more than an unpleasant inconvenience but, for some people, it can pose a very real danger to their lives.
Most people, especially the aged, are encouraged to get flu shots every year to help protect them against the virus. This is because the virus is constantly evolving and new vaccines are required to help combat new strains. Symptoms of flu shots are mostly mild. They can be dangerous in some cases, but such instances are extremely rare.
1. Sore Arm
Among the most common symptoms of a flu shot is that, when given as an injection, the patients arm is likely to be quite sore for a while afterward. This is nothing to be concerned about and the pain will pass with no harm done. Not everybody develops this symptom and, for those that do, it will likely only last for a day or two.
The arm is also quite likely to become red and swollen at the location of the injection. These symptoms are a good sign because it shows that the body is reacting to the vaccine as it is supposed to.
2. Aching Muscles
When an enemy is present, our white blood cells will sometimes turn to chemical warfare to try and defeat intruders. They are able to secrete certain chemicals that can kill pathogens, making it an effective line of defense. While these chemicals are harmful to pathogens, they can also be harmful to our own bodies.
These chemicals are not as damaging to our bodies as they are to pathogens but they can still cause inflammation. This inflammation will result in aching muscles and joints that will often come with the flu. As such, they are also a symptom that some people experience just after a flu shot.
3. Fever
One of the body’s main weapons against pathogens is to make the body too hot for the pathogen to be comfortable. This can slow down the pathogen’s progress and maybe even kill it altogether.
To achieve this, the immune system creates what is known as a fever. When the body reacts to the vaccine, it can result in a low-grade fever. This symptom is seen in roughly 10% of the patients and it usually goes away in a day or two.
4. Headache
Patients may experience a mild headache after a flu shot. This symptom is seen in almost 20% of the patients and it usually goes away in a short period of time.
If the symptom persists for more than a couple of days, you should consider going to a doctor to get it checked out.
5. Redness
One of the most common symptoms associated with a flu shot is the redness at the site of injection. The injection site becomes red and sometimes even a little bit warm to the touch.
This symptom is seen in almost 25% of the patients and it usually resolves in a few days.
6. Fatigue
After a flu shot, some people will complain that they feel unusually tired and not feel like doing anything at all. Again, this is quite normal as it is caused as the body reacts to the vaccine so it is not anything to be concerned about usually.
Headaches are also fairly common after a flu vaccine has been administered and, again, this is not something you should worry about. The same goes for nausea, which is another symptom that will sometimes come after a flu shot. While these symptoms are not usually something to worry about, you should still speak with a doctor if they become severe.
7. Nausea
This is a non-specific symptom related to many conditions. It is seen in less than 10% of patients after the flu shot has been administered and it rarely results in vomiting.
If the symptom persists or if any other symptoms appear to be worsening instead of going away, you should seek medical attention for proper management.
8. Hyporexia
Hyporexia is the medical term that describes a loss of appetite. This is seen in almost 15% of patients after a flu shot and it usually associated with nausea and vomiting.
This symptom goes away fairly quickly and the patients should be eating normally in a day or two.
9. Swelling
People with allergies will often experience swelling. It is a part of the body’s reaction to the presence of an allergen in many people. Such swellings are often not something to be concerned about, depending on the patients allergies and how they normally react to the presence of allergens.
Some people who have just had a flu shot will develop swelling around the eyes and around their mouths. This is not a normal reaction to the shot and is a sign that the patient is having a bad reaction to it. Swelling like this should encourage you to seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
10. Diarrhea
This symptom is not very common but it can happen in less than 10% of patients after a flu shot. It is usually mild and resolves without any treatment in less than two days.
Diarrhea can cause the patient to become dehydrated, therefore, it is important to drink plenty of fluids to avoid further complications.
