Shoulder pain and injuries are common, due to the pressure we put on our shoulders every day. Those working in occupations that involve manual labor or repetitive stress to the arm and shoulder tend to experience shoulder pain more often, meanwhile. The joints, tendons, and muscle tissue that make our shoulders work are also highly susceptible to injury. A shoulder injury is often explained by some type of physical activity or repetitive stress that caused it.
When vaccines are administered in the shoulder, patients are warned that the area around the injection site may feel sore for a day or two. Sometimes, following a vaccine administered in a patient’s deltoid muscle (the shoulder), a patient will suffer pain and discomfort that goes beyond what’s expected. SIRVA – Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration – is the name commonly given when these issues arise, and used by the government to classify these types of vaccine injuries for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
SIRVA involves inflammation and damage of musculoskeletal structures including the bursae, tendons, and ligaments – usually after a deltoid injection of a vaccine. SIRVA is frequently associated with influenza vaccines given in the shoulder.
## Signs of SIRVA typically occur within 48 hours of a shot and can include:
- Shoulder pain (sharp or severe in some cases)
- Bruising and swelling around the injection site
- Reduced overall mobility in the shoulder or arm
- Impaired muscle function and strength
- Numbness or tingling in the shoulder and sometimes the entire arm
## How does SIRVA happen?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that as many as half of vaccine injury claims filed through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program have been due to vaccination error. For example, this can occur when a vaccine is given too high or too low on a person’s shoulder – leading to discomfort and even lasting injury.
If a needle was mistakenly inserted into a patient’s joint or bursa sac, the person can experience mobility problems and limited strength in the affected arm. Left untreated, this can lead to long-lasting problems in the arm and shoulder, and even “frozen shoulder”.
Meanwhile, if a needle was inserted too deeply into the tissue, or too high, a patient can experience shoulder bursitis. This is a condition in which the instrument went beyond the muscular layer and into the bursa sac – causing inflammation and pain. The pain and discomfort can last well beyond the time referred to when receiving a shot.
The key distinction between SIRVA and other sources of shoulder injury is the timing of the shoulder pain. If symptoms arose within the first couple days or week after a vaccination, SIRVA may be the underlying issue. In these situations, the injured patient may have legal remedies available.
Anyone injured following a vaccine may be eligible for financial compensation through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims evaluates these claims, and it is useful to have an experienced vaccine injury attorney at one’s side during this process. Through the VICP system, patients injured as a result of vaccine error can be compensated for medical and other costs, including pain and suffering.
## If You Have Suffered A Shoulder Injury following a Vaccine, the Vaccine Injury Lawyers at Green & Schafle Can Help
If you or a loved one suffered a shoulder injury in the days or weeks following a vaccine, you may have important legal options – including financial compensation – available to you. Our proven vaccine injury attorneys at Green & Schafle can discuss all legal options available in your situation. To learn more, feel free to [request a callback](https://www.greenlegalteam.com/contact-us/) or call us today at 1-855-462-3330.
**Sources:**
hrsa.gov/vaccine-compensation/about
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6347325/
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