Am I eligible for vaccine injury compensation?
What Is SIRVA?
Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration, or SIRVA, occurs when a vaccine is injected too high or too deep in the shoulder. Vaccine injection this way can lead to intense, prolonged pain or other shoulder injuries, such as a rotator cuff tear or tendonitis.
SIRVA occurs from shoulder injections that are typically given in the deltoid muscle. When a provider uses a needle that is too long for the patient or does not inject in the correct spot in the shoulder, the needle can hit bone or puncture the fluid-filled sac (called the bursa), which protects the tendons in the shoulder. When this happens, there can be shoulder pain after the vaccine. The bursa, tendons, and ligaments can become inflamed, causing deltoid pain. SIRVA comes from a misplaced injection, not the contents of the vaccine.
SIRVA affects the parts of your shoulder that allow you to move your arm comfortably. Usually, SIRVA symptoms manifest as sudden deltoid pain or a decreased range of motion within 48 hours of a vaccine injection. SIRVA injury shares these symptoms with many other conditions, including nerve damage.
What Vaccines Are Known to Cause SIRVA Symptoms?
Shoulder pain after vaccine administration can happen from several vaccines. The most common are:
- Influenza (Flu)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Meningococcal (MPSV4, MCV4)
- Varicella/Chickenpox (VAR)
Shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration can be serious, and you might be eligible for SIRVA vaccine injury compensation. Take our free quiz now to find out if you qualify.
Conditions That Result From SIRVA Symptoms
- Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder): This causes pain and stiffness in the shoulder, eventually making it very difficult to move.
- Bursitis: This is an inflammation of the bursae, which are small, fluid-filled sacs that act as cushions between bones and soft tissues. Bursitis causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and redness.
- Rotator Cuff Tears: The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that holds your arm in the shoulder socket. These tendons can become inflamed and damaged after improper vaccine administration. When one or more of these tendons is torn, it causes pain and weakness in the shoulder. Symptoms include arm weakness, difficulty reaching behind the back, and disturbed sleep when lying on the affected shoulder.
- Shoulder Impingement: This happens when the space between the bone at the top of your shoulder and the rotator cuff becomes narrowed. It causes pain and difficulty when raising your arm to shoulder height.
- Tendonitis: The tendons that form the rotator cuff can become irritated or damaged. Symptoms of tendonitis include mild swelling, pain, and tenderness.
SIRVA symptoms must begin within a specific time frame after a vaccination and occur only in the shoulder where the vaccination was given. For it to be diagnosed as shoulder injury related to vaccine administration, there must also be no other cause for the condition.
If you’re experiencing one of these conditions after receiving a vaccine, contact us for a free consultation to see if you are eligible for SIRVA vaccine injury compensation.
How Is SIRVA Diagnosed?
People with SIRVA symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will do a physical examination and may order tests to look for injury or inflammation in your shoulder.
It’s important to tell your doctor that your symptoms began soon after a vaccination, since that may be the key to getting the correct diagnosis.
How Is SIRVA Treated?
The tendons that hold your arm in place in the shoulder joint are called the rotator cuffs. These tendons can become inflamed and damaged after improper vaccine administration. SIRVA symptoms, along with any shoulder pain after a vaccine, typically require one or more of the following treatments:
- Rest: SIRVA injuries involve inflammation, and simply resting the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your shoulder may lead to recovery.
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy can help improve your range of motion, muscle strength, and the speed of your recovery.
- Pain medication: This can include ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Your doctor may also suggest a prescription medication.
- Steroid injections or oral steroids: If other treatments haven’t helped, your doctor may prescribe a steroid medication to suppress inflammation. Your doctor will assess your condition carefully before prescribing this medication.
- Surgery: If SIRVA has caused a condition that can be helped with surgery, your doctor may recommend a specific procedure as a final option.
The tear must have begun within a specific time frame after a vaccination and occur only in the shoulder where the vaccination was given. For it to be vaccine related, there must also be no other cause for the condition.
What Are Some Ways to Prevent SIRVA?
To help prevent SIRVA, make sure the person vaccinating you is a trained professional. Give that person as much of an unobstructed a view of your shoulder as possible.
SIRVA symptoms result from getting a shot in the wrong place, so consider doing more than just rolling up your sleeves. Taking off your entire shirt—or wearing one you can slip your arm out of if that is more comfortable for you—can go a long way.
Am I Eligible For SIRVA Vaccine Injury Compensation?
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) includes SIRVA as a covered injury. If you or a loved one has developed a condition from SIRVA symptoms as a result of a vaccine, take our vaccine eligibility quiz to see if you qualify for compensation. Our experienced vaccine injury attorneys can file a claim for you with the VICP at no cost to you.