Tetanus Shot Side Effects in Adults: What You Need to Know

According to the CDC, adults should receive the tetanus vaccine every 10 years. This vaccine helps prevent infection of tetanus bacteria, which is everywhere in the environment. 

But sometimes, people don’t get a tetanus shot booster until they’ve stepped on a rusty nail or were bitten by a dog.  Needless to say, a lot of folks get tetanus shots every year in America. 

As with any vaccine, a tetanus booster shot may cause mild side effects. Your arm may be sore and tender, or you may have a headache for the next day or two. 

However, millions of Americans don’t know about serious tetanus shot side effects in adults, such as SIRVA or brachial neuritis.

These vaccine injuries often take months or even years to recover from. Fortunately, the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) offers compensation to folks who experience these rare conditions from the TDaP shot. 

If you or a loved one has experienced prolonged arm pain after receiving a tetanus vaccine, our team of compassionate vaccine injury attorneys is here to help you. Give us a call today at (312) 578-9501 to schedule a free consultation. 

Learn about the tetanus vaccine side effects, SIRVA, brachial neuritis, and the VICP below.

What Are The Side Effects Linked To The Tetanus Vaccine?

Millions of people get the tetanus vaccine each year. While many won’t experience a single side effect, a vast majority will experience some sort of side effect. Most of the time, this is normal and expected. 

The vast majority of people will experience the common side effects of the vaccine. Typical side effects include:

• Sore Arm
• Redness/Swelling at the injection site
• Headaches
• Fever
• Nausea

However, some people may experience one of the following rare tetanus shot adverse reactions. These conditions are SIRVA and brachial neuritis.

Shoulder Injury from TDaP Shot: What You Should Know

SIRVA stands for shoulder injury related to vaccine administration. It can happen after a healthcare professional improperly administers a vaccine into one’s shoulder. 

If you’re worried may have a shoulder injury from a tetanus shot, here are the most common SIRVA symptoms to know: 

• Shoulder pain within 48 hours following the administration of the tetanus shot.
• Loss of strength and use of your injured shoulder and arm over time.
• Reduced range of motion of your injured shoulder.

Treating SIRVA After a Tetanus Shot

If your arm pain lasts for weeks or months following a tetanus vaccination, we recommend seeing your doctor as soon as possible. To initially manage your shoulder pain, you can take ibuprofen or other over-the-counter medications and ice the affected area.

However, if the pain doesn’t go away, visiting your doctor is the best thing you can do to help your shoulder and arm heal.

When you go to your doctor, there are a few things that will happen during your appointment. First, he or she will ask you questions about your current shoulder injury, as well as any prior injuries to the area. You can mention to your physician that the pain started after the tetanus vaccine. Afterward, they will perform a physical exam.

Your doctor may also recommend an MRI, which will create an image of the muscles and tendons inside of your shoulder. After the MRI is done, your doctor will explain to you what they believe is happening with your shoulder. 

It’s important to know that SIRVA is an umbrella term, not a diagnosis. It describes how your shoulder injury occurred. However, it only means that the tetanus vaccine hurts your shoulder and is not the end-all, be-all diagnosis that you will receive. 

You may be diagnosed with one of the following shoulder injuries:

• Frozen shoulder syndrome (adhesive capsulitis).
• Rotator cuff tear or injury.
• Shoulder bursitis.
• Shoulder tendinitis.
• Shoulder impingement syndrome (swimmer’s shoulder).

All of the shoulder injuries listed above are treated in a similar way.

How Do I Treat My SIRVA Injury?

SIRVA treatment options used to heal these injuries include: 

• Rest. Getting rest after any injury is one of the most critical steps. It lets your body recover and start the healing process. 
• Over-the-counter or prescription pain medication. Over-the-counter pain relievers work to reduce shoulder pain. In some cases, you may have extreme pain. Your doctor may prescribe you a stronger medication if this is possible for your specific case.
• Physical therapy. Physical therapy is commonly used to treat any SIRVA-related injury. It improves your strength and regains the range of motion you may have lost.
• Steroid injections. If the swelling is significant, your doctor may recommend steroid injections to reduce the inflammation. 
• Surgery. Surgery is a very rare option reserved for the most extreme SIRVA cases.

The Link Between the Tetanus Shot and Brachial Neuritis (Parsonage-Turner Syndrome)

Brachial neuritis, also known as Parsonage-Turner syndrome (PTS), can be triggered in adults after receiving vaccines containing tetanus toxoid, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Vaccinations containing the tetanus toxoid include the DTaP and TDaP shots.

Brachial neuritis is a rare disease in which the nerves in the brachial plexus become swollen and inflamed. The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves that travels from the spinal cord to the chest, shoulder, arms, and hands. This condition usually starts with sudden severe pain or burning sensations in the shoulder and upper arm. As weeks go by, this pain is replaced with muscle weakness and atrophy in the shoulder and arm.

What Are Symptoms of Brachial Neuritis After a Tetanus Shot?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, brachial neuritis is a form of nerve damage or neuropathy.

Symptoms of brachial neuritis will start within 2-28 days following a tetanus vaccine. These signs include:

• Severe pain in the upper arm or shoulder area. Within a few hours or days, this pain will transition to weakness or paralysis in the injured shoulder or arm.
• Pain that usually affects just one side of the body. This pain may be present in the opposite shoulder in which the vaccine was given.
• Lack of sensation or feeling in the shoulder or arm.
• Lack of muscle control in the shoulder or arm.

Brachial Neuritis Diagnosis and Treatment

When you meet with your healthcare provider regarding your arm pain, they will ask questions about your shoulder and when your pain began. After doing a physical examination of the shoulder, they may suspect that you may have brachial neuritis.

To properly diagnose the condition, they will order an electromyography or nerve conduction studies to help understand the extent of how damaged the nerves are.

Sometimes, brachial neuritis will resolve on its own over the course of time. Your doctor will prescribe corticosteroids and pain medication to help manage the swelling and the shoulder pain.

Experiencing Tetanus Shot Arm Pain Months Later? Our Vaccine Injury Lawyers Can Help

Our vaccine injury attorneys at Shannon Law Group, P.C. can help you recover financially and emotionally after experiencing a shoulder injury or brachial neuritis diagnosis from a tetanus shot. We do this by filing a petition on your behalf in a national program called the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. 

If you have received a tetanus vaccine in the past 3 years and have experienced shoulder pain for at least 6 months, you may be entitled to the following compensation from the program:

• Past out-of-pocket medical bills. 
• Future cost of medical treatment.
• Past and future lost wages. 
• Pain and suffering (up to $250,000).

If you’d like to find out if you qualify for vaccine injury compensation, contact us today for a free SIRVA claim consultation. Our attorneys at Shannon Law Group help people suffering from vaccine injuries get the compensation that they need to move forward with their life.

Give us a call today to schedule a free consultation now: (312) 578-9501. You can also fill out the form at the bottom of this page. A member of our team will get back to you within 24 hours.