How do you treat a really sore arm after a pneumonia vaccination?

Answer 1

Many vaccinations are given by injection in the muscle tissue of the arm. There are commonly local reactions that make your arm hurt when you move it or touch it for a few days after the shot. It may feel hot or look swollen and red in the place where the medicine was injected. The most effective way to get rid of that soreness is to move the arm. Use it as you would normally even if uncomfortable at first.

The sooner and more often you use it normally, the less pain you will have and the sooner the arm will be back to normal. I advise others to be sure, and I always make sure for myself, that the injection is put in my dominate arm (right side since I am right handed). That forces me to use the arm, and I almost never have soreness anymore. Other things you can do to make it feel better is to put warm moist compresses on the area (wet several washcloths in very warm- not hot- water, squeeze out the excess moisture, and hold against the sore place gently for at least 20 minutes at a time for several times a day, rinsing the cloths again with warm water if they cool off in the meantime.)day I usually have only needed to do that one or two days before all is right again, but some people have these symptoms for up to 5 days.

If the local redness and pain gets worse and not better over time, contact your health care professional for advice, or ask your pharmacist about over the counter treatment you might try.